Vasyl Kostyuk on the Historic Victory of Ukrainian Karatekas: ‘We Are No Longer Catching Up—We Set the Pace in Europe’
The Ukrainian youth karate team for the first time in history took first place in the overall standings of the European Championship. The results of the team’s historic performance and the first year of cooperation with the Ukrainian Karate Federation were commented on by the Federation’s sponsor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Vasyl Kostyuk.
According to him, the victory in the continental championship became a source of pride for Ukrainian athletes, coaches, and the entire country. At the championships in Limassol, Cyprus, the team not only won medals but also became the strongest team in Europe for the first time in history.
“Such a result is proof that systematic work, faith in youth, and proper organization of preparation yield results,” noted Vasyl Kostyuk.
13 medals and first place in Europe
The Ukrainian team finished the championship with 13 awards: four gold, seven silver, and two bronze medals. According to Kostyuk, what is important is not only the overall result but also the number of top awards.
“The youth team repeated the record for the number of medals, but significantly increased their ‘golden weight.’ This means that Ukrainian karate athletes are no longer just catching up but are setting the pace in Europe,” emphasized the philanthropist.
He also drew attention to the contribution of the coaching staff led by Dmytro Negaturov. He believes that behind each medal stands the daily work of coaches, quality preparation, and the athletes’ ability to handle psychological pressure during crucial matches.
“At competitions of this level, the best athletes, who are physically ready to win, compete. However, it is the psychological preparation and condition of the athlete that determines who will ascend to the podium,” noted Vasyl Kostyuk.
The first year of partnership with the Ukrainian Karate Federation
Summing up the first year of cooperation with the Federation, Vasyl Kostyuk noted the partnership nature of the interaction and the professional approach of its leadership headed by Ivan Dutchak.
According to him, a common vision for the development of Ukrainian karate allows for the prompt implementation of initiatives and concentration of resources on athlete preparation.
“We work as partners with a common goal. We invest not only in today’s results but in the future of Ukrainian sports,” emphasized Kostyuk.
He characterized the first year of cooperation as a period when a shared goal, systematic support, and daily work helped transform the potential of young karatekas into a historic achievement for Ukraine.
According to the philanthropist, the next task should be to maintain the positive dynamics so that victories in international competitions become not the exception but a consistent tradition for Ukrainian karate.
Historic result of the European Championship
The 53rd European Karate Championship among cadets, juniors, and youth under 21 was held on February 6–8 in Limassol, Cyprus. The competition was attended by 1276 athletes from 47 countries.
The Ukrainian team won 13 medals — four gold, seven silver, and two bronze — and for the first time in history took first place in the overall team standings of the continental championship.
For Ukrainian karate, this result marked an important milestone and confirmed the competitiveness of the young generation of athletes at the European level.
