Invictus Games (IVG) Day 3 – Indoor Rowing Takes Center Stage

Day 3 of IVG 23 saw 11 members of Ukraine’s “Invincibles” team shine in the indoor rowing competition finals while its wheelchair basketball team struggled against far more experienced opposition in its group games.

Since the inception of IVG in 2014 one of the most popular events, both in terms of competitor entries and spectator excitement, is the indoor rowing competition.

Women’s indoor rowing event at IVG 23. Photo: Invictus Games

Athletes compete on rowing machines fitted with ergometers which are adjusted to the specific category of impairment applicable to each competitor. Participants are classified into six different categories, with men and women competing in separate events.

The events are timed with the objective being to cover the greatest possible distance within the allotted time period. There are two competitions: the Individual Sprint event, which lasts for one minute, and the Individual Endurance race which lasts for four minutes.

Ukraine’s Results in Rowing

Ukrainian participants competed in 11 finals in rowing on simulators and in ten of them they got on the podium.

·      Gold - Volodymyr Tovkis, IR3 endurance;

·      Gold - Volodymyr Tovkis, IR3 sprint;

·      Gold - Mykola Zaritskyi, IR5 endurance;

·      Gold - Nazar Vozniuk, IR2 endurance;

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·      Silver - Oleg Dolzhko IR3 sprint;

·      Silver - Nazar Vozniuk, IR4 sprint;

·      Silver - Yuliya Shevchuk, IR5 endurance;

·      Silver - Yuliya Shevchuk, IR5 sprint;

·      Silver - Ivan Moldun, IR2 sprint;

·      Silver - Maksym Dmytrash, IR6 sprint

Other Ukrainian Rowing Results

Oleg Dolzhok: 4th in IR3 endurance;

Ihor Derman: 5th in IR5;

Vitaly Warodavka: 5th in IR6 sprint and 12th place in IR6 endurance;

Vadim Maznichenko: 6th in IR3 sprint and 7th in IR3 endurance;

Yaryna Alimanova: 7th in IR6 sprint;

Bohdan Yarocki: 8th in IR5 sprint;

Semyon Lagun: 8th in IR6 sprint;

Yevhenii Kireionok: 40th in IR6 sprint.

Wheelchair basketball

Ukraine wheelchair basketball team vs Great Britain at IVG 23. Photo: Invictus Games

The wheelchair basketball competition started on Day 3 with three group matches. Ukraine got off to a good start beating Canada 7 to 4. While they played well in their next game, against Great Britain, but eventually lost 10 to 16. The third game was against the combined “United” team made up of players from a number of participating nations. Ukraine was again defeated in a close match – 8 to 12.

The fourth and final group game will be against Australia on Wednesday, Sept. 13 which is also “finals” day for the competition.