Yurii Kovalchuk, a modern pentathlete from Lviv and a graduate of the Ivan Boberskyi Lviv State University of Physical Culture, won a bronze medal and set a world record in the laser run at the third stage of the UIPM 2026 World Cup in Budapest.
The competition took place from 8 to 13 June 2026 in the Hungarian capital. On 13 June, in the decisive discipline – the laser run (running and shooting) – Kovalchuk covered the distance in 9 minutes 58.580 seconds and scored the maximum 702 points. This result has been officially entered in the list of world records of the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM).
Before the start of the final discipline, the athlete coached by Oleh Fialkovych, Vitalii Tarnakin, Andrii Orlikovskyi, Dmytro Kirpulianskyi and Andrii Kovalchuk was only in 13th place among the finalists. It was this record-breaking laser run that enabled him to make a breakthrough in the overall standings and climb to the third step of the podium.
The Ukrainian national team also performed successfully. With a line-up of Yurii Kovalchuk (Lviv region), as well as Oleksandr Tovkai and Maksym Agarushev (both from Kyiv), the Ukrainians won the team classification at this World Cup stage. Germany finished second, and France took third place.
The athlete’s achievement was reported by the Lviv Regional Modern Pentathlon Federation and the Lviv Regional Council Municipal Institution ‘Olympic Training Centre’.