Sixty veterans and servicemen/women from 15 regions of Ukraine became participants in six sports events of the first multisport online competitions Unconquered 2.0.  

The award ceremony, which took place on December 13, 2020, was attended by First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska. The finalists were greeted by other famous national leaders, including representatives of sports, show business as well as volunteers.

Olena Zelenska has noted that the example of the athletes is invaluable because they demonstrate not only sports achievements, but the most important thing they do for society – they inspire others.

"It is a great honor for me to be present at the award ceremony of the Unconquered 2.0 winners. I have to admit that I am very impressed by the purpose of these competitions - to promote sports among wounded warriors. First, it forms a real community of people with similar experiences and helps them overcome the consequences of injuries. And secondly, it encourages the society and the state to create the necessary conditions for this. I would like to express my deep respect and sincere gratitude to those who first waited for you from the war, and now, having gone through terrible trials with you, keep on supporting, helping and inspiring you - your wives and mothers as well as to your children, friends, relatives. Together you are a real team of winners!" highlighted the First Lady of Ukraine.

In his turn, Deputy Minister for Veterans Affairs, member of the Invictus Games National Team Ihor Bezkaravainyi has noted that despite the pandemic, sports rehabilitation of veterans is underway.

"Last year, together with the team of the Unconquered, we started preparing for the competition in The Hague. If I had been told then that the final of the Invictus Games would be postponed for a year and we would compete online, and special studios would be built for the final, I would not have believed it. Today, however, thanks to ingenuity and technical progress, we were able to hold the first Unconquered 2.0 Online competition, which has no analogues in Ukraine. Now this new standard of competition has extended to adaptive sports - veterans competed, won and became stronger. First of all, Unconquered 2.0. Online Sport Competition is a project of sports rehabilitation for veterans, which helps to integrate into society and become an example to follow for others,” underlined the Deputy Minister.

Recall that the start of Unconquered 2.0 in Ukraine was announced in November. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the online format opened up a wide range of opportunities - a veteran from anywhere in the country could compete and join the family of the unconquered.

Participants chose the sport event, place of competition, day and time. Everyone developed his/her own approach in the discipline, videotaped it and recorded the result, and then sent the video to the Organizing Committee. The judges selected the winners virtually, by video, and not in the usual way.