Ukraine at 2025 World Games in China: Who's going and what they'll compete in
Anzhelika Terliuha, 2022 World Games karate champion (photo: Getty Images)
Tomorrow, the 12th World Games 2025 will kick off in Chengdu, China. It is a major international event featuring non-Olympic sports.
What we know about the World Games
From August 7 to 18, about 3,500 participants from over 100 countries will compete in 34 sports and 60 disciplines. A total of 256 medal events will be held.
These multi-sport games are held once every four years and feature disciplines not included in the Olympic program.
The first edition took place in 1981 in Santa Clara, USA, with 1,265 athletes competing in 18 sports. Since 2001, the event has been held under the patronage of the IOC and, by tradition, takes place one year after the Summer Olympics.
Notably, some sports that debuted at the World Games later became part of the Olympic program. Also in 2025, the first in its history torch relay took place, with 120 torchbearers participating.
Ukraine at the Games
Ukrainians joined in 1993, making their debut with three silver medals..
The most successful tournament for the blue-and-yellow team was in 2022 in Birmingham, USA, where the national team won 45 medals (16 gold) and finished third overall.
In total, Ukrainians have won 128 medals at the Games: 58 gold, 59 silver, and 54 bronze, placing Ukraine 9th in the all-time medal ranking.
This year, Ukraine will compete in 19 sports. The largest delegations are in acrobatic gymnastics, powerlifting, and finswimming, each with 13 athletes.
Team Ukraine at the World Games 2025:
- Acrobatic gymnastics (Aug 8–10): Ivan Horlach, Stanislav Kukurudz, Sofronii Davydenko, Ivan Labunets, Yurii Push, Yurii Savka, Taras Yarush, Ruzanna Vecheruk, Anhelina Cherniavska, Alina Puhach, Karina Ostrovska, Elina Kozachanska, Yevfrosyniia Kryvytska
- Aerobics: Stanislav Halaida, Anastasiia Kurashvili
- Trampoline (Aug 8–10): Andrii Sokolov, Denys Vlasov, Tymofii Chernovyi, Diana Denysova
- Karate (Aug 8–9): Andrii Zaplitnyi, Valerii Chobotar, Rizvan Talibov, Anzhelika Terliuha
- Muay Thai (Aug 8–11): Dmytro Shelesko, Oleksandr Yefymenko, Anastasiia Mykhailenko
- Kickboxing (Aug 12–14): Hlib Mazur, Roman Shcherbatiuk, Daryna Ivanova, Alina Martyniuk
- Sambo (Aug 13–14): Oleksandr Voropaiev, Anatolii Voloshynov, Petro Davydenko, Andrii Kucherenko, Vladyslav Rudnev, Anhelina Lysenko, Yevheniia Pozdnia
- Jiu-jitsu (Aug 10–12): Vogdan Mochulskyi, Kostiantyn Shutko
- Wushu (Aug 8–12): Volodymyr Shevchenko, Oryna Ivanova
- Finswimming (Aug 10–11): Artur Artamonov, Oleksii Zakharov, Viktoriia Uvarova, Sofiia Lamakh, Anastasiia Makarenko, Yevheniia Tymoshenko, Sofiia Hrechko, Anna Yakovlieva
- Freediving (Aug 10–11): Kateryna Sadurska
- Wakeboarding (Aug 8–10): Volodymyr Chuba, Sofiia Sokolova
- Canoeing (Aug 9–10): Maksym Redko
- Powerlifting (Aug 14–17): Mykola Barannik, Vitalii Kolomiiets, Volodymyr Rysev, Anatolii Novopysmennyi, Kostiantyn Musiienko, Oleksii Bychkov, Andrii Shevchenko, Tetiana Bila, Anastasiia Derevianko, Larysa Soloviova, Dariia Rusanenko, Valentyna Zahoruyko
- Cheerleading (Aug 15–16): Anastasiia-Anna Maloshenko, Yelyzaveta Tymofieieva
- Orienteering (Aug 8, 10–11): Illia Otreshko, Olena Babych
- Sport climbing (Aug 14–16): Kostiantyn Pavlenko, Denys Mozolevych, Yaroslav Tkach, Hryhorii Ilchyshyn
- Squash (Aug 8–12): Dmytro Shcherbakov, Alina Bushma
- Dance sport (Aug 8–9, 16–17): Oleh Kuznetsov, Anna Ponomarenko, Kateryna Pavlenko, Earl Williamson, Veronika Myshko, Emanuele Cannistraro, Alla Liubanetska
Unfortunately, 31 Russian and 1 Belarusian athlete will compete as neutrals in 7 sports, including sambo, Muay Thai, and jiu-jitsu. Ukrainian athletes may face them in six of those disciplines.
