Young taekwondo athletes from Irpin and Bucha bring sport back to city life — five medals at the Ukrainian Championships
From 6 to 8 March 2026 in Lviv, 12 athletes from Irpin and Bucha, competing as part of the Kyiv region team, won five medals. We examine why these results are about more than medals — they speak to the recovery and rebuilding of communities.
By Tetiana Suchkova-Ladik
March 9, 2026 · 1 min read
Summary
March 6–8, 2026, the Ukrainian WTF Taekwondo Championship for younger boys and boys was held in Lviv. The team representing the Kyiv region consisted of 12 athletes — representatives of Irpin and Bucha, under the guidance of coach Feliks Chekalovets (SC «Vulkan»).
Result
The young trainees of the Vulkan club demonstrated a high level of preparation and strength of character: 5 medals — 2 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze. For a small team and cities that endured occupation, this is a notable indicator of the quality of coaching work and systematic support for children.
Medalists
Михайлова Анна (born 2017) — 1st place
Чекаловець Емілія (born 2017) — 1st place
Воронцов Назар (born 2017) — 2nd place
Михайлюк Кирило (born 2017) — 3rd place
Галайба Станіслав (born 2017) — 3rd place
“We thank the Armed Forces of Ukraine and all the defenders for enabling children to develop and to live their childhood as fully and positively as possible. I am proud of every fighter! Onward to better! Better things are ahead!”
— Feliks Chekalovets, coach of the sports club «Vulkan»
Why it matters
These results are more than medals. They signal social recovery: when children return to regular training, it contributes to psychological stability, the restoration of infrastructure, and the formation of a future reserve of healthy citizens. Investments in youth sport today are investments in security and resilience tomorrow.
What’s next
The results in Lviv confirm the effectiveness of local coaches and the need for systematic support. The next step is to preserve and scale up programs for the children of Irpin and Bucha so that such stories become the rule rather than the exception.
