--- title: "Sport as Rehabilitation: Zelenskyy Participates in 'Will to Live' Veteran Competitions in Ivano-Frankivsk" description: "🇺🇦 Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the \"Will to Live\" veteran competition in Ivano-Frankivsk. The head of state played tennis, shot arrows from a bow, and bench-pressed weights alongside wounded fighters. The event became part of the strategy for sports rehabilitation of veterans. 🏸🏹🏋️‍♂️" date: 2026-08-13T14:10:06.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/sport-as-rehabilitation-zelenskyy-participates-in-will-to-live-veteran-competitions tags: [ukraine, zelensky, veterans, sports, rehabilitation, ivano-frankivsk] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Sport as Rehabilitation: Zelenskyy Participates in 'Will to Live' Veteran Competitions in Ivano-Frankivsk ![Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with veterans during the 'Will to Live' competition in Ivano-Frankivsk](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/13/zelenskiy-veteranskie-sorevnovaniya-volya-k-zhizni-ivano-frankovsk/zelenskiy-veteranskie-sorevnovaniya-volya-k-zhizni-ivano-frankovsk-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Zelenskyy visited the "Will to Live" competition in Ivano-Frankivsk on August 13, 2026. - The President personally tested table tennis, archery, and the bench press. - The visit highlights the importance of sports rehabilitation for veterans with disabilities. - Zelenskyy received a gift from a veteran of the defense of Avdiivka — a wooden panel. On August 13, 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Ivano-Frankivsk during a working trip to the Prykarpattia region. The centerpiece of the visit was the head of state's participation in the large-scale veteran competition "Will to Live," held at the local College of Physical Education. The event, dedicated to supporting wounded servicemen, gathered hundreds of participants for whom sport has become a tool for physical and psychological rehabilitation. ### Sports Interactive: Tennis, Archery, and Bench Press The "Will to Live" competition program included eight adaptive disciplines, including table tennis, archery, darts, rowing machines, and kettlebell sports. To boost the morale of the participants, Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally tested several sports. According to official sources, the President played a match of table tennis, demonstrated archery skills with a classic bow, and performed a series of ten repetitions of the bench press. Video of the interactive session was promptly published on the official channel of the President's Office. ### Meeting with Veterans and Symbolic Gifts An important part of the visit was informal communication with the competition participants. The President personally spoke with veterans who were holding the battle flags of their units. In particular, footage shows that Zelenskyy signed the flag of the 50th Regiment named after Colonel Semen Vysochan of the National Guard of Ukraine, which is based in Ivano-Frankivsk. In response to this gesture of attention, a veteran of the defense of Avdiivka, artist Vasyl Semko from the 110th Territorial Defense Brigade, presented the head of state with a unique wooden panel depicting Saint Nicholas in the guise of a military chaplain. [](/en/images/sport-as-rehabilitation-zelenskyy-participates-in-will-to-live-veteran-competitions-2) ### Memory of Heroes and Regional Context Before attending the sports event, Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the local Memorial Square, where he honored the memory of Prykarpattia residents who died at the front. During the ceremony, the President awarded the "Golden Star" order to the mother of the fallen Hero of Ukraine, Taras Shpuk. This visit underscores the importance of work to preserve the memory of defenders and support their families in the rear. [](/en/images/sport-as-rehabilitation-zelenskyy-participates-in-will-to-live-veteran-competitions-3) ### Strategy for Veteran Rehabilitation and Socialization The public demonstration of the President's sports activity alongside veterans who have suffered severe injuries is part of the updated state rehabilitation strategy. Against the backdrop of the protracted nature of the conflict in Ukraine, the need to integrate former military personnel into civilian life has risen sharply. In 2026, the Ivano-Frankivsk region became one of the key rear hubs for creating specialized medical and adaptation centers. Such regional competitions, adapted to the format of international games for wounded warriors, are intended to prove that adaptive sports, combined with psychological support, are the most effective way to return disabled veterans to active social life. [](/en/images/sport-as-rehabilitation-zelenskyy-participates-in-will-to-live-veteran-competitions-4) ### Contradictory Data While the main facts of the visit (location, date, types of sports) are confirmed by all sources, there are minor discrepancies in the details. Some reports mention that the President played tennis, while others focus on the bench press. Also, different sources describe the number of repetitions in the bench press differently (from 8 to 10), however, these details are secondary and do not change the essence of the event. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Table tennis, bow and barbell: what Volodymyr Zelenskyy did in Prykarpattia](https://politics.comments.ua/news/president/nastolnyy-tennis-luk-i-shtanga-chto-vladimir-zelenskiy-delal-v-prikarpate-813618.html) - Подтверждает участие Зеленского в соревнованиях и виды спорта. - [Zelenskyy arrived in Ivano-Frankivsk and bench-pressed weights](https://www.gazeta.ru/politics/news/2026/08/13/29099461.shtml) - Подтверждает факт жима штанги и визит в Ивано-Франковск. - [Shot from a bow and played tennis: Zelenskyy met with soldiers and veterans in Frankivsk (video)](https://focus.ua/ukraine/764399-strelyal-iz-luka-i-igral-v-tennis-zelenskiy-vstretilsya-s-voennosluzhashchimi-i-veteranami-v-frankovske-video) - Подтверждает участие в стрельбе из лука и теннисе. - [Zelenskyy in Frankivsk bench-pressed, played tennis and shot from a bow](https://kp.ua/politics/a734546-zelenskij-vo-frankovske-zhal-shtanhu-lezha-ihral-v-tennis-i-streljal-iz-luka) - Подтверждает все виды спорта и дату визита. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Where were the "Will to Live" competitions held? **A:** The competitions were held in Ivano-Frankivsk at the College of Physical Education. ### Q: What sports did Zelenskyy test? **A:** The President played table tennis, shot arrows from a bow, and bench-pressed weights. ### Q: Who gave Zelenskyy the panel with Saint Nicholas? **A:** The panel was given by a veteran of the defense of Avdiivka, artist Vasyl Semko from the 110th Territorial Defense Brigade. ### Q: Why are such competitions held? **A:** The competitions are aimed at the physical and psychological rehabilitation of veterans with disabilities.