Rivne hosted its first half marathon from Nova Poshta: over 1300 participants started

On September 20-21, Rivne became part of an all-Ukrainian series of running events organized by Nova Poshta. For the first time, a half marathon of such a scale was held in the city – professional athletes and amateurs, as well as the youngest participants in strollers, parents with children, people in wheelchairs, and veterans who returned to sports after severe injuries, ran the distances. The event united more than 1,300 participants and became a true symbol of accessibility, UNN reports.

Details

150 children took part in children's races of 100 and 500 meters. The youngest participant, Oleksandra Levyk, is only 1.3 years old and completed her first 100 meters. The oldest runner, 69-year-old Viktor Nedybalyuk, ran the full half-marathon distance of 21 km.

The organizers – Nova Poshta and NewRun – paid special attention to accessibility. The starting town and tracks were equipped so that professional athletes, amateurs, people with disabilities, veterans with prostheses or in wheelchairs, parents with children in strollers, and even runners with pets could participate in the event.

A special detail of the Rivne half marathon was the "Start without a shot" – an innovative solution that Nova Poshta implements at all its running events. Instead of a traditional shot, the start is announced by a powerful wave of sound and light, which gently and at the same time effectively launches the race.

We always try to use our running events to draw public attention to important topics. For us, it's not just about sports or victories at a distance – it's about changes in society. The Rivne half marathon, in addition to the noble goal of raising funds for the rehabilitation of the Unbroken, shows that our cities must become accessible and convenient for everyone. Accessibility is not an abstract idea, but concrete solutions that give people equal opportunities to live a full life.

Within the framework of the event, a symbolic "Support Run" of 1 km took place. It was dedicated to Ukrainians who paid for freedom with their health and are now recovering from injuries. Patients of the UNBROKEN rehabilitation center joined the race, among them Anatoliy Savytskyi from Rivne, a veteran of the 42nd separate mechanized brigade, who moves in a wheelchair after a severe injury and dedicated the distance to his hometown and comrades. Dmytro Sokot from Kostopil region, a soldier of the 14th brigade, lost a hand and received serious leg injuries, and is now preparing for prosthetics and also became a participant in the race.

Roman Chernenko, an anti-tank gunner of the 93rd brigade, ran 10 km on a prosthesis. He was wounded in 2024, completed rehabilitation in the spring of 2025, and has since covered more than 450 kilometers.

Last year in Kyiv at the Nova Poshta marathon, I covered 1 kilometer on crutches. Today – I ran 10 kilometers on a prosthesis. The running community inspires me to reach new heights!

We know well that Rivne has an active running community. But it is important that along with the development of the city, events appear that unite and inspire people. It is with this goal that we brought the scale of Nova Poshta and the NewRun series of races to Rivne.

All entry fees, as well as donations through the Dobro.ua platform, are directed to the production of prostheses for UNBROKEN patients.