Articles:
Ukrainian athletes gain recognition worldwide
Numerous Ukrainian athletes have been documented as some of the strongest participants in the Olympic Games and many more competitors have gained international recognition in the world of sports.
Sport complexes and training facilities are found in every major city and small town in the Ukraine. Team sports, swimming, boxing and aerobics are part of life and enjoyed by participants as well as spectators.
Football, or soccer, is the country’s national sporting pastime. It is played in schools, club leagues, on a national and international level. Spectators will go to the local games, watch the clubs, Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk on TV and check their favorite team’s or FIFA World Cup scores on soccer websites and internet sports portals. There is no doubt about it, soccer roots run deep, but that does not mean that other sports are frowned upon.
Ukraine has a professional ice hockey league and their national hockey team has competed in several World Championships and the Olympics. Ukraine has had several successful female gymnasts and most everyone knows of the figure skater, Oksana Baiul, who won the first gold medal for an independent Ukraine, in 1994, in Lillehammer, Norway.
For many people living in towns, bicycling is also a popular activity, and not just as a means of transportation, or part of an exercise regime. Serious cyclists participate in organized bicycle marathons, such as the Circle of Glory, in Odessa. This particular route takes partakers past monuments of historical significance.
With a beautiful seacoast at their disposal, many Ukrainians will head for the beach during the summer. Swimming, scuba diving and sailing on the dazzling blue waters are fun and exciting, and bring wholesome relaxation to those who need a break from every-day stress. Furthermore do not forget, approximately 3000 lakes with sparkling clean water are also waiting to be explored!
Wrestlers, boxers and weight lifters are as respected in Ukraine as all other types of athletes. The workouts are hard, the training vigorous and these men are always pushing their limits, yet the number of young people coming into these sports is constantly growing.
Other amateur sports practiced by many Ukrainians today are basketball, volleyball, tennis and golf. The list keeps expanding, and more recently, martial arts, with Kung Fu and karate, were added on. As social borders continue to crumble through the use of modern technology, such as the Internet, who knows which sport will be conquering the ‘flexible’ minds of Ukraine’s youth next?!
I Love Ukraine
The Ukrainian language has a long and fascinating history. In spite of attempts to stop or limit its use, as well as fierce competition from the Russian language, Ukranian still prospers in the Ukraine, particularly in the western regions. As its use is encouraged more and more under the present government, even more Ukrainian people speak the language as their native tongue of choice. The shift in language is especially notable in Kiev, where rural dwellers have moved into the city, bringing their language with them. Schools in the Ukraine have started to provide more education about the native Ukraine language.
Ukrainian Traditional Folklore
Ukrainian folklore shares many beliefs and practices with the wider Slavic population in Eastern Europe. However, Ukraine has had unique historical experiences that have given it its own distinct traditions as well.
