fbpx
Size of letters 1x
Site color
Image
Additionally
Line height
Letter spacing
Font
Embedded items (videos, maps, etc.)
 

A Historic Pickleball Moment in Odesa

04/ 06/ 2025
  On Friday, May 23rd, All-Ukrainian Pickleball Federation held more than just a tournament. For the first time in Ukraine, players in wheelchairs participated in a pickleball tournament. It was a powerful step toward inclusive sport — toward a community where there is a place for everyone. The event opened with a military orchestra, which added a deep emotional layer to the entire day. Unfortunately, this day will also be remembered for another reason — during the tournament, enemy ballistic missiles struck Odesa. All went down to the shelter together. Some were holding paddles, others embraced their children, and many offered support to one another. And after the “all clear” signal — the game resumed.  Because we are a nation that never gives up. Because pickleball for us is not just a sport. It’s about strength, humanity, and faith in life.  💪 Thank you to everyone who stood with us. And a deep bow of gratitude to our partners who make the impossible possible.  🏆 Winners of the Odesa Cup Category: Wheelchair Players  🥇Yevhenii Bondar – Andrii Arsiienko  🥈Renat Petruk – Mykhailo Zimin  🥉Arsen Riaboshapka – Oleksandr Kukharenko Category: Athletes  🥇Ivan Zahorodnyi – Tetiana Svintsova  🥈 Yevhen Savkov – Oleksandr Solobai  🥉Volodymyr Svirskyi – Tetiana Sorokina Category: Students  🥇Oleksandr Rusakov – Nazarii Doroshenko  🥈 Vladyslav Ternichenko – Oleksii Stomat  🥉Viktoriia Chynkova – Kyrylo Matsalak 💙 Support That Inspires  Casati, Viteks, SHM, Stroy House  Ukrainian Railways — for providing special train carriages for our wheelchair players  Odesa Regional Military Administration, in particular Head Oleh Kiper  NGO Barrier-Free Odesa  The Naval Forces Orchestra of Ukraine  9th Sports Club  Mykhailo Zimin and Oleksii Birman We invite everyone to watch the video from the event and join the pickleball community!  https://youtu.be/8-BNJDrjtWk?si=_vYJ0keBdVwarvuq https://youtu.be/vDEwl-huIa0?si=9J4gay1ixlmW7XS2

On Friday, May 23rd, All-Ukrainian Pickleball Federation held more than just a tournament. For the first time in Ukraine, players in wheelchairs participated in a pickleball tournament. It was a powerful step toward inclusive sport — toward a community where there is a place for everyone. The event opened with a military orchestra, which added a deep emotional layer to the entire day.

Unfortunately, this day will also be remembered for another reason — during the tournament, enemy ballistic missiles struck Odesa. All went down to the shelter together. Some were holding paddles, others embraced their children, and many offered support to one another. And after the “all clear” signal — the game resumed. 

Because we are a nation that never gives up.

Because pickleball for us is not just a sport. It’s about strength, humanity, and faith in life. 

💪 Thank you to everyone who stood with us. And a deep bow of gratitude to our partners who make the impossible possible. 

🏆 Winners of the Odesa Cup

Category: Wheelchair Players 

🥇Yevhenii Bondar – Andrii Arsiienko 

🥈Renat Petruk – Mykhailo Zimin 

🥉Arsen Riaboshapka – Oleksandr Kukharenko

Category: Athletes 

🥇Ivan Zahorodnyi – Tetiana Svintsova 

🥈 Yevhen Savkov – Oleksandr Solobai 

🥉Volodymyr Svirskyi – Tetiana Sorokina

Category: Students 

🥇Oleksandr Rusakov – Nazarii Doroshenko 

🥈 Vladyslav Ternichenko – Oleksii Stomat 

🥉Viktoriia Chynkova – Kyrylo Matsalak

💙 Support That Inspires 

  • Casati, Viteks, SHM, Stroy House 
  • Ukrainian Railways — for providing special train carriages for our wheelchair players 
  • Odesa Regional Military Administration, in particular Head Oleh Kiper 
  • NGO Barrier-Free Odesa 
  • The Naval Forces Orchestra of Ukraine 
  • 9th Sports Club 
  • Mykhailo Zimin and Oleksii Birman

We invite everyone to watch the video from the event and join the pickleball community! 

If you have found a spelling error, please, notify us by selecting that text and pressing Ctrl+Enter.

Start
in the Telegram bot
Read articles. Share in social networks
National Minute of Silence
01:00
09:00
National Minute of Silence
Let us honor the memory of all those who lost their lives in russia’s war against Ukraine
00:43
This site is registered on wpml.org as a development site. Switch to a production site key to remove this banner.

Spelling error report

The following text will be sent to our editors: