International Nordic Walking Festival "Sportfest": recharge your batteries and raise funds to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The Sportfest International Nordic Walking Festival was held in Cherkasy region. The main goal of the event is to raise funds for the purchase of buggies for the soldiers of the 93rd Kholodny Yar Brigade, as well as to present Nordic walking as an adaptive sport for veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war, UNN reports.

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"Sportfest is held for the second time in Cherkasy region on the initiative of Oleksandr Voskoboinik, Director of MHP-Urozhay, and with the support of the MHP for Community Foundation. It brings together both professional Scandinavians and amateurs of the sport from Ukraine and abroad. In total, about 600 people took part in the festival. More than 300 of them took part at the stadium, and the same number joined online from communities in Ukraine, Poland, Kazakhstan, and Israel.

Nordic walking has become a unifying activity for the communities where we operate. This movement was born four years ago in Yekaterinopol and then rapidly spread to other communities. At the same time, Nordic walking can be a form of rehabilitation. That is why today we presented it to our veterans. Ihor Yefimenko, president of the Ukrainian Nordic Walking Federation, held a master class on recreational walking for them

About 30 veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war took part in the sporting event. As part of the MHP Next Door veterans' support program, which MHP has been implementing for two years in a row for employees and community members, they received legal advice from a volunteer lawyer from the Patriots of the Native Land NGO and social and psychological counseling from the Red Cross team.

Former soldier Roman Kucherenko says that social and psychological support and physical rehabilitation for veterans is extremely important today. He himself has health problems after being wounded. He knew about Nordic walking, but only today he tried to walk in the format of this sport.

In 2021, I tried my hand at the Invictus Games for the first time. This is an international platform for veterans who have suffered some kind of injury. And then I regretted not joining adaptive sports earlier. After all, it provided some rehabilitation, including psychological. And I urge all veterans to participate in sporting events to one degree or another. Because adaptive sport is not a sport for results. This is a sport that provides communication between veterans, adaptation to civilian life, psychological relief and rehabilitation

War veteran Marian Moroz also supports him. He currently lives with his family in Katerynopil. He says he hasn't tried Nordic walking before, but today he tried to walk a little.

"I have a lot of contusions, we once entered Kherson when we were liberating the right bank. Now I realize that I really need moderate activity, just like my comrades. I need to undergo rehabilitation. Some warm-up exercises in Nordic walking were difficult even for me, but I still need to do something, because movement is life. And in general, you can't just sit at home. You need to socialize," says Marian Moroz.

Oleksandr Korotych from Uman, who is one of the top ten Scandinavian athletes in Europe, was impressed by the number of participants in the sports festival.

"At such events, there are usually up to 50 participants, but here there are more than 300! It's great that people are getting involved in sports. I myself was happy to come to Katerynopil because, firstly, of the festival, and secondly, the head of our organization, whom I wanted to see, came. In general, Nordic walking has become a way of life for me now. I was in the sport for 55 years, later I got a disability and now I just walk. No doctor will forbid you to walk. Because walking is life," says the athlete.

The sports festival also included mini-football and volleyball competitions. There was also a craftsmen's fair. The Krutyi Zamys band, the military band of border guards and local performers were also present. All festival participants who donated to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine took part in a win-win lottery, where Nordic walking poles, sportswear and equipment were raffled off. The main prize of the lottery - a scooter - was won by a participant from Kaniv.

The festival participants raised more than UAH 40 thousand to buy a buggy for the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Brigade, and Oleksandr Voskoboynik donated three drones for the needs of military units where Katerynopil residents serve.