From February 20 to March 3, the Marine Corps & Air Force Trials 2026, a major veterans’ competition, took place in San Diego, California. This is an annual competition for servicemen and veterans of the US Marine Corps and Air Force, which serves as a qualifying stage for the American team for the Warrior Games.
The Ukrainian team was invited as an international team along with the British team to expand cooperation and exchange experience in the field of veteran sports and rehabilitation through sports.
The competitions included wheelchair basketball and rugby, sitting volleyball, archery and shooting, rowing on simulators, athletics, powerlifting, cycling, and swimming.
First and foremost, the team did not go for awards or achievements, but for the rehabilitation of participants through sport. However, the team managed to win quite a few prizes at the competition in California.
The Ukrainian team won first place in sitting volleyball and second place in wheelchair rugby. This is a first for our team.
In swimming, rowing on simulators, and cycling, Yaroslav Begas, Ivan Artyukh, and Oksana Rudyk took first place, while Artem Peredeev took first place in powerlifting. In archery, Oleksandr Zirka took first place in the individual competition. In the team competition, Oleksandr Zirka, Artem Perederyev, and Mariana Nitskevich took second place. Mariana Nitskevich also took second place in the individual competition.
In running, Oleksiy Dernov took first place in the 1500 meters. He also took third place in the 800, 400, 200, and 100 meters. In cycling, Vadym Goncharenko and Oleksiy Dernov finished second. In the shot put, Oleksandr Batalov and Vadym Honcharenko took first place. Oleksandr Batalov also came second in the discus throw.
The qualifying stage for the Ukrainian national team was the all-Ukrainian competition “GART” — the first national multi-sport competition for veterans who were wounded, injured, or fell ill during military service. The national team for the 2026 Marine Corps & Air Force Trials was selected from among the 400 participants in this tournament. It consists of 13 male veterans and 2 female veterans.
The formation, training, and participation of the Ukrainian national team is provided by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine in cooperation with the Come Back Alive Initiative Center. The general partner of the Ukrainian team is Ukrgasbank.
We would like to add that in April, the “Gart” wheelchair basketball competition for veterans will start in Lviv, preceded by a week-long camp for beginners in this sport. We invite veterans to participate in the tournament.
Registration form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQCmcejNST02gPuvrMr-Cax2fAP6iLGD7WkADLjpXQNAP9Vg/viewform
COMPETITION, Marine Corps & Air Force Trials 2026, UKRGASBANK, veterans' team
