He lost his feet and hands fighting Russian-led forces in the east of Ukraine in the winter of 2015. In hospital, devastated, unable to move, he felt like nothing mattered to him anymore. But he found strength from within, refused to take powerful painkillers, and simply watched cartoons and read positive books to feel better. He set the goal of continuing with his life.
Two years later Vadym Svyrydenko, 44, is doing more than just that – he is representing Ukraine at the Invictus Games, an international sports event.
The games are for injured and wounded servicemen and women, who have made huge sacrifices for their country. It was established in 2014 in London by a member of the British royal family, Prince Harry, who was inspired by soldiers wounded in Afghanistan.
In 2017, Toronto hosted more than 550 Invictus Games competitors from 17 nations from Sept. 23-30, including veterans from Romania, the United Kingdom, the United States, Jordan, and New Zealand. The event featured sports such as sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, cycling, athletics, powerlifting and an event new to the 2017 games – golf. The games’ events were held at the sport venues throughout Toronto.
The Ukrainian team was participating in the games for the first time. Twenty-six veterans from the first team and the reserves fought to prove that war injuries need not stop one living life to the fullest.
Ukraine won its first bronze on Sept. 24, when police officer Serhiy Torchynskyi took third place in the shot put event. Not long after that, Oleh Zimnikov won gold in the 1,500 meters race, and Oleksandr Tkachenko took silver in the 400 meters.
Two days later Ukraine added another two golds to its medal haul: Major Oleksander Pysarenko took won gold in the rowing, while Captain Vasyl Pashkevich was victorious in the powerlifting event.
“With every win we keep on proving that neither trauma nor age can stand between you and your dream,” Pysarenko said after receiving his medal.
“I’m overwhelmed with emotions,” said Pashkevich. “This is a feeling you can’t put into words.”
Pavlo Mamontov, 25, took bronze in speed skating. Speaking to the Kyiv Post, he shared the story of how he had come to take part in the games.
“The first time I heard about the Invictus Games was from volunteers who helped me after my injury,” said Mamontov. “The idea of participating in the games immediately lit a spark in my heart.”
But that was only the beginning of his long journey to taking part in the games.
“I wrote a motivational letter on why I wanted to participate in the games, I filled out so many documents, I worked very hard, day after day, to get into the team, but it was definitely worth it,” Mamontov said.
In Toronto he made many good friends, including the gold medal winner in his own speed skating category, who is from New Zealand.
“That was exactly what I was looking for – communication,” Mamontov said. “It is not about medals, and it never was, it is about communication and a chance to meet people who have gone through the same things you have.”
The Ukrainian team returns to Ukraine on Oct. 1, the day after the games’ closing ceremony.
