Veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war from Lviv Region, Ivan Drozd, has fulfilled a long-held dream by taking part in the Chicago Marathon, which took place on 11 October. One of the world’s largest running events this year brought together more than 55,000 participants and over a million spectators.
Ivan Drozd completed the classic marathon distance of 26.2 miles (42 km 195 m) in 3 hours 41 minutes 23 seconds. After crossing the finish line, he shared his impressions on social media, proudly displaying his medal.
“Here it is — a medal filled with hard training sessions, patience and the support of many people” — Ivan Drozd
Ivan Drozd is a war veteran who served with the 24th Brigade and commanded a unit during the battles for Popasna, where he suffered a serious injury. Despite this trauma, he is actively engaged in running and has already completed several prestigious marathons.
In April 2023, the veteran ran his first race at the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington (USA), where he covered the 42 km 195 m distance. He later successfully took part in the legendary Boston Marathon.
According to the Director of the Department of Sport, Youth and Tourism of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, Roman Khimyak, Ivan Drozd regularly joins veteran initiatives within the “Liga Neskorenykh” (League of the Unbroken) sports opportunities ecosystem and has repeatedly taken part in the “I Honour Warriors, I Run for the Heroes of Ukraine” races.
During these runs, he races in memory of his son, the fallen hero Andrii Drozd. The veteran also joined the final leg of Frederick Splendore’s “Beyond Borders” charity ultramarathon from Monaco to Lviv, aimed at drawing the attention of the European community to the war in Ukraine and supporting Ukrainians.