For the first time, Lviv hosted a comprehensive competition among combatants – the Invictus Games 2024. Over two days, 55 participants competed in 6 sports.
It all started in 2023, when the team of the Lviv Department of Sports and Youth Policy was entrusted with the task of holding the national selection for the Invictus Games in Lviv. This was the starting point for the development of military sports in Lviv.
This was followed by the creation of a unique and first in Ukraine military sports department, the adoption of several programmes providing free sports services for servicemen, veterans and family members of fallen defenders, and the introduction of systematic training for them in various sports.
The first Invictus Games took place over two days. The participants, 55 combat veterans, took part in competitions in 6 sports: rowing on simulators, table tennis, powerlifting, petanque, swimming and archery.
A special ending to the competition was a demonstration match by the already legendary Pokrova-AMP FC team (football for amputee veterans). The match allowed the participants to learn about new opportunities.
“Our Invictus Games are a necessity and a demand of the times. It is about consistency and consolidation of the skills acquired during training and their application in practice. This competition is not about any achievements or medals. First and foremost, it’s about resilience and victory over yourself. It’s about the ability to challenge circumstances and find the strength to move on,” says Anton Nikulin, Head of the Department of Sports and Youth Policy at Lviv City Council.
The organisers, the Department of Sports and Youth Policy of the Lviv City Council together with Sportresurs and Unbroken.Foundation, plan to hold such competitions on a regular basis, dividing them into seasons – spring, summer and autumn.