From the trenches to the track, Ukraine’s amputee athletes join international endurance race

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Since losing both legs, Dmytro Bykhovchenko has become a meticulous planner.

The best route for every trip, access to cars, and the availability of ramps and handrails are all worked out in detail ahead of time.

This month, the 30-year-old completed his most ambitious plan yet, joining fellow Ukrainian war veterans in a grueling international fitness race in Valencia, Spain.

Known as HYROX, the competition combines eight 1-kilometer runs with eight punishing workouts, including sled pushes, rowing, weighted carries and sandbag lunges. Amputee athletes competed in the event’s disabled category.

As planned, Bykhovchenko finished the course, wheeling himself around the track and lowering himself to the ground for floor workouts.

“Sport just makes my days easier,” he told The Associated Press in an interview. “Mentally and morally, it really helps relieve my head, not to think about the bad things and generally look at life more positively.”

Bykhovchenko lost both legs three years ago during the Battle of Avdiivka , when a Russian drone dropped an explosive into his trench. Heavy fighting delayed his evacuation for hours.

For Bykhovchenko and his teammates, including veterans with multiple amputations, finishing the event marked a milestone in their recovery. It also carried a broader message about a country still fighting after more than 4 1/2 years of war.

“It means a lot to be here and show the world what a veteran of the Russia-Ukraine war is,” endurance athlete and team member Oleh Tserkovnyy said. “We want our actions to inspire the world.”

After leaving active duty, Tserkovnyy dedicated his time to helping veterans recover from serious injuries. In Valencia, he stood over Bykhovchenko, shouting words of encouragement as his teammate worked through the circuits.

Some team members were relatively new to sports and relied on trainers who volunteered hours to help them get into shape.

Yasia Shandrii, a fitness trainer in Kyiv, worked with Bykhovchenko ahead of the competition.

“The guys have quite a variety of amputations – double lower-limb amputations, single-leg amputations, high arm amputations, and below-the-knee amputations,” Shandrii said.

Bykhovchenko's training partner, Oleksandr Dashko, who had his left leg amputated due to a combat injury, said sports provided a welcome distraction from the war in Ukraine.

“Every meeting with your friends is about the war. The news on Instagram is about the war. The war is everywhere,” he said. “When I’m doing sports, when you work hard, not just during training but for several hours afterward, you forget about the war.”

AP writer Derek Gatopoulos in Kyiv, Ukraine contributed to this report

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine