The inclusive competition "Victory of the Unconquered" brought together 115 strongmen - military men and veterans from different cities of Ukraine: Kharkiv, Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, Odesa, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, and Ivano-Frankivsk.
The veterans competed in rowing on simulators, bench press, aero bikes, and kettlebell snatch. The main judge of the competition was world champion strongman Vasyl Virastiuk. This day showed that our defenders remain role models not only on the battlefield but also in sports competitions.
Sport is the best and most accessible tool for re-socializing veterans into public life! What a veteran needs most after the horrors of war is honor and recognition. At our comprehensive competitions for veterans, there is always an atmosphere of support and admiration for their indomitable spirit. Young servicemen and spectators of the competition inspire the veteran with their genuine support, and communication in a circle of like-minded people gives the veteran a sense of unity. After our competitions, we always receive a lot of messages from veterans about how much their lives have changed after participating in the events. We work for such feedback."
The sporting event was organized by MHP in cooperation with the NGO Strongman Federation of Ukraine as part of the MHP Poruch veterans' reintegration program with the support of the Ternopil City Council. The general media partner of the event was the Ternopil-based media outlet 20 Minutes.
At MHP, we see our mission as being a reliable rear guard for our defenders. That is why we systematically help the military, veterans and their families, including supporting the following events. We provide assistance as part of the MHP Next Door corporate program. Among the participants of the competition are employees of our companies who fought and have now returned and continue to work. We supported them when they were in the army and continue to help them now - in physical and psychological rehabilitation, full return to civilian life, and create new jobs if necessary
The MHP Next Door program, which was part of the event, has been operating at MHP for more than a year. Its goal is to provide comprehensive support to the military, veterans and their families. Currently, the program is focused on promoting the development of veterans' spaces and communities.
Events such as the Victory of the Unconquered are an important part of MHP's MHP Poruch (MHP Next Door) reintegration program for defenders. Society needs to be prepared for the fact that veterans return with their own vision of community and Ukrainian state development. These will be new Ukrainian meanings and accents that need to be taken into account and supported. And today our military and veterans demonstrate to the whole world Ukrainian unity, unbreakable spirit, strength, invincibility and defiance
At the award ceremony, the strongmen who won prizes in their sports and 60 categories received medals and gifts.
At the competition, I did a 60-kilogram barbell bench press. I did 21 repetitions, which is less than I did in my training, but I still took third place in my category, which I am very happy about. Although, of course, these competitions are not so much about results and medals. There were a lot of my brothers-in-arms, with whom we talked and just had fun. Sport helps to adapt to civilian life and re-integrate into society. The emotions from the competition are very positive!
In general, the participants had a busy program in Ternopil. They visited one of the city's hospitals and supported the wounded soldiers who are currently undergoing treatment there.
I sincerely welcome to Ternopil the color of the Ukrainian nation, our unwavering Heroes. The Victory of the Unconquered goes beyond traditional competitions, because the main thing here is not medals and standards, but support and team spirit. Let your example be a model of unbreakable will and determination for all Ukrainians.
The organizers of the competition also gave veterans a boat tour of a picturesque Ternopil pond. The day before, Super Fileo organized a barbecue for the military and veterans. "Super Fileo is a chicken brand from the MHP family of brands, whose main product is thigh fillet. The brand's product range also includes thigh meat, thigh fillets, thigh fillet pieces, and thigh fillet medallions.