A Historic Pickleball Moment in Odesa
On Friday, May 23rd, we held more than just a tournament. For the first time in Ukraine, players in wheelchairs participated in a pickleball tournament. It was a powerful step toward inclusive sport — toward a community where there is a place for everyone.
The event opened with a military orchestra, which added a deep emotional layer to the entire day.
Unfortunately, this day will also be remembered for another reason — during the tournament, enemy ballistic missiles struck Odesa. We all went down to the shelter together. Some were holding paddles, others embraced their children, and many offered support to one another. And after the “all clear” signal — the game resumed.
Because we are a nation that never gives up.
Because pickleball for us is not just a sport. It’s about strength, humanity, and faith in life.
💪 Thank you to everyone who stood with us. And a deep bow of gratitude to our partners who make the impossible possible.
- 🥇 Yevhenii Bondar – Andrii Arsiienko
- 🥈 Renat Petruk – Mykhailo Zimin
- 🥉 Arsen Riaboshapka – Oleksandr Kukharenko
- 🥇 Ivan Zahorodnyi – Tetiana Svintsova
- 🥈 Yevhen Savkov – Oleksandr Solobai
- 🥉 Volodymyr Svirskyi – Tetiana Sorokina
- 🥇 Oleksandr Rusakov – Nazarii Doroshenko
- 🥈 Vladyslav Ternichenko – Oleksii Stomat
- 🥉 Viktoriia Chynkova – Kyrylo Matsalak
- Casati
- Viteks
- SHM
- Stroy House
- Ukrainian Railways — for providing special train carriages for our wheelchair players
- Odesa Regional Military Administration, in particular Head Oleh Kiper
- NGO Barrier-Free Odesa
- The Naval Forces Orchestra of Ukraine
- 9th Sports Club
- Mykhailo Zimin and Oleksii Birman
📸 Scroll through the photos, watch the videos — and don’t forget to tag yourself if you were on the court with us!
#UkrainianPickleballFederation #AdaptivePickleball #ParaPickleball #PickleballForAll #SupportUkraine #Ukraine #Pickleball #ОдесаГрає #СпортЄднає #OdessaPickleball
