Ivan Drozd, a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war and father of a fallen defender, from the village of Zahirne in the Stryi community, has now completed his third World Marathon. This time he crossed the finish line at the marathon in Chicago, dedicating the race to the memory of his son Andrii, who was killed fighting for Ukraine, as well as to his fallen comrades-in-arms. This was reported by the Stryi City Council and the UNBROKEN Foundation.
The Chicago Marathon 2026, held on 11 October, brought together around 50,000 participants and became the largest in its history, with more than a million spectators along the route. Ivan Drozd covered the 42-kilometre distance in 3 hours 41 minutes. For the veteran, this is already his third start in the series of the world's most prestigious marathons.
One of Ivan's main sporting goals is to run all six marathons in the World Marathon Majors series and thus honour the memory of his son Andrii and his fallen comrades-in-arms. According to him, there are still three races ahead, and he is determined to complete the entire cycle.
«For me, it is important to keep running and to carry out what I have set out to do. There are still three marathons left out of six, and I am determined to complete them all. I run so that I remember. So if I need to run a hundred world marathons, I will run a hundred,» says Ivan.
The UNBROKEN Foundation is supporting the veteran on his path towards his dream. This year, the initiative's partners were joined by the technology company Sine Engineering, which develops communication and navigation systems for unmanned aerial vehicles. The organisations note that they are delighted with each of Ivan Drozd's finishes and grateful to everyone who helps him continue his marathon of remembrance.