The Olympic Dreams Effect: Ukrainian Judoka Take European Podiums Right After Training Camps

The international Olympic Dreams project continues to prove its effectiveness: systematic work to create safe conditions and ensure a continuous training process for Ukrainian athletes is already delivering noticeable results right after the completion of training camps, reports UNN.

Result that Begins with a System

A clear confirmation of this came from the performances of project participants at prestigious international judo competitions held after a recent training camps in Slovakia and Kosovo.

Team Stability and Depth

Even before their major victories at top-level tournaments, Ukrainian judoka demonstrated strong results at European events. In particular, at the Cadet European Cup in Slovakia, the athletes won 1 silver and 5 bronze medals, as well as secured 5 fifth-place and 2 seventh-place finishes, demonstrating the team’s strength, competitiveness, and high level of preparation.

Equally impressive were the performances at the European Cup for men and women in Slovenia, where the Ukrainian team claimed 1 silver and 2 bronze medals, confirming the consistency of results across different levels of international competition.

The Highlight: Podiums at the Riga European Cup

The highlight was at the Riga Senior European Cup 2026. Olympic Dreams athlete Denys Tupytskyi won a gold medal in the under 60 kg weight category, demonstrating high skill and confidence in decisive bouts.

The Ukrainian team’s success continued on the following day of competition: Anton Klymenko won  a silver medal in the under 81 kg category, while Anastasiia Chyzhevska (under 57 kg) and Yelyzaveta Shevchenko (under 52 kg) each earned bronze medals.

Overall, the Ukrainian national team finished second in the tournament’s medal standings, demonstrating strength, consistency, and depth of preparation.

Top-Level Performance: Results on the World Stage

Another significant achievement was the bronze medal won by project athlete Yuliia Kurchenko at one of the most prestigious world-class tournaments — the Grand Slam Tbilisi 2026. This is already her second award this year, demonstrating both consistency and the high caliber of Ukrainian judoka.

The Olympic Dreams team’s winning streak  continued at the latest continental tournaments — the Poznań Junior European Cup 2026 and the Teplice Millennium Team Cadet European Cup 2026.

Participants of the project won 2 gold, 1 silver, and 5 bronze medals in Poland. In the Czech Republic, the team added another silver and two bronze medals to its tally.

Personal Stories Behind the Victories

These victories gain special emotional weight from the personal stories of the athletes who have been part of the Olympic Dreams project since the very beggining. Denys Tupytskyi dedicated his gold medal to his fiancée, Anastasiia Chyzhevska, highlighting the importance of support and team spirit on the path to success:

"Today is a special day for me. I won a gold medal. This is the result not only of my work, but of a long journey I have taken together with the people who stood by me. Thank you to everyone who supported me — my coaches, teammates, friends, and family. Special thanks to my fiancée Anastasiia, who was always by my side. This victory is ours."

A System That Delivers Results

Anatoliy Boyko, the initiator and patron of the Olympic Dreams project, emphasizes that these results are no coincidence:

"The results we see today are the outcome of daily, meticulous work carried out systematically and without pause by the project team. We are consistently building a system that allows athletes to train without interruptions, in safe conditions, and at a high professional level. Every training session, every camp, every effort has its value — and it pays off many times over when Ukrainian athletes step onto the podiums of international tournaments. This is how the future is shaped and how the glory of Ukrainian sport is affirmed in the world."

Initiator and patron of Olympic Dreams Anatoliy Boyko

The project continues to expand its geography and opportunities for Ukrainian athletes, proving that even in the most difficult times, stability, support, and professional preparation produce results — and those results are measured in medals of the highest standard.