Battle for a Legacy: When Sport Becomes a Symbol of Resilience
This weekend Bilohorodka turned into the center of youth sports in the Kyiv region. The "Power of Memory" tournament gathered 160 athletes from different corners of Ukraine — from Kyiv and Bucha to Chernihiv and Pryluky. But the main purpose of the event went far beyond competition.
Each strike of the gong and every bout were dedicated to four Hero-athletes from the Bilohorodka community who died defending our peace: Oleksandr Saienko, Andriy Dyachenko, Yaroslav Tyshchenko, and Andriy Kotliarsky. Their names are now etched not only in stone but in the winning spirit of the young boxers.
The presence of servicemen’s families added a particularly emotional charge to the event. It was a moment when the pain of loss transforms into pride in the sacrifice of loved ones.
"I am proud of our community, which once again proves that the memory of the Heroes is alive. Mutual support is our shared strength, and the Heroes will remain in our hearts forever."
– Anton Ovsiyenko, Bilohorodka village head
New Names and Esteemed Support
The level of the tournament is confirmed by the presence of sports stars of global stature. Olympic Games participant in Rio de Janeiro Volodymyr Matviychuk came to support the youth and the families of defenders, along with referees of international and national categories. This shows that Ukraine’s sporting community is more united than ever.
It is symbolic that new stars emerged at this very tournament: three pupils of the local boxing school — Vladyslav Budkevych, Dmytro Spasichenko and Mykola Leliukh — were awarded the title of Candidates for Master of Sport. This is direct proof that the work of coaches and mentors, such as tournament initiator Abduraim Ryskulov, is yielding results.
In the team standings, athletes from the town of Makariv took first place, the silver went to Boryspil, and boxers from Pryluky placed third. But the main winner was the idea of unity and respect demonstrated by the Bilohorodka community itself.
