Denys Shevchuk, an employee of Zaporozhogneupor, set a personal powerlifting record at the Ukrainian Classic Powerlifting Championship.
The Ukrainian Championship, held in Ivano-Frankivsk region, brought together athletes from many regions of Ukraine. Denys Shevchuk, a worker from Zaporozhogneupor, competed for the Zaporizhzhia region team. In the 120+ kg weight category, Denys Shevchuk set a personal record in the deadlift of 240 kilograms and won the Veterans category (40-49 years old).
Denys has been involved in this sport since September 2020. In 2022, with the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia, the Zaporozhogneupor employee turned his strength, focus, self-discipline and perseverance gained in sports into volunteering. He was a member of a ‘humanitarian convoy’ transporting children from occupied Vasylivka, delivered ready-to-eat meals to checkpoints for our defenders, and restored power supply in places of destruction after enemy shelling of the city. Over time, he returned to active training and, finally, thanks to his own perseverance and the support of his coach, he was able to take part in the Ukrainian Championship.
He usually went to training after work. Denys is the head of Zaporozhogneupor's central laboratory of metrology and devices, where he performs important tasks on a daily basis to organise and control maintenance, repairs, verification and calibration of the enterprise's instrumentation and controls. However, his path to sporting triumph was not easy. Training after work shifts, constant self-discipline and love of sport made him one of the strongest powerlifters in Ukraine in his category. The champion's return to the workplace after the competition was accompanied by a warm welcome: his colleagues greeted him with applause.
Denys does not plan to rest on his oars in the sporting field. His plans include preparing to fulfil the standard of Candidate Master of Sports. This is a new level for the athlete who wants to prove that Zaporizhzhia athletes are among the best in the country. He also dreams of confirming his status as a champion and representing his homecity with dignity at the All-Ukrainian competitions.
"A few years ago, I could not imagine that I would become the champion of Ukraine. Training was exhausting, especially when combined with work at the plant. But my love for sport and desire to achieve my goals always overcame fatigue. This championship gave me confidence in my own abilities. I am ready to work even harder to reach new heights," says Denys.
The champion emphasises that the support of the team was an important motivator:
"It was hard not only physically, because my body is trained and strong, but also psychologically - anxiety, doubts, and worries were in the way. But thanks to the support of my colleagues and friends, the psychological motivation of my coach, I managed to overcome everything. My colleagues always believed in me. Their support helped me morally and psychologically. At such moments, you realise that victory is not only yours, but also the victory of those around you."
