A sportsman from Lviv region, Viktor Lehkodukh, has taken first place at the international WABBA Mr. & Miss Universe 2026 tournament held in Spain. He became the winner in the “wheelchair bodybuilding” category.
This award is already Lehkodukh’s second bodybuilding medal this season. Around a month ago, he made his debut at the WABBA Ukrainian Bodybuilding Championships and also claimed gold.
According to Roman Khimyak, Director of the Department of Sport, Youth and Tourism of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, from the first days of the Russian aggression in spring 2014, Viktor Lehkodukh defended Ukraine, fighting for six months in the hottest spots, and in August of that year he sustained a severe gunshot mine-blast injury to his spine. Since then, sport has become an integral part of his life.
The veteran already has a number of high-profile sporting achievements: he won gold in shot put at the 2022 Invictus Games and completed the London Marathon. Lehkodukh has also repeatedly taken part in events organised under the “League of the Unconquered” project.
Viktor Lehkodukh is the focus of one of the episodes of the video project “Return”. This series tells the stories of medallists and participants in the most prestigious international competitions for veterans of the Invictus Games and other global tournaments for people with disabilities. The video about the athlete is available to watch on YouTube.