Two representatives of the Bucha community, Roman Sukhostav and Serhii Hurduza, have become champions of Ukraine in sitting volleyball with the Kyiv region team VolleyBrothers, Bucha City Council reported. The final stage of the national Veterans' Games took place in Lviv, with 11 teams and 174 veterans from across Ukraine competing for the title.

VolleyBrothers players in yellow Kyivshchyna jerseys pose by a scoreboard reading 3:1 after the semi-final in LvivPhoto: Bucha City Council
The board reads 3:1 and 25:13: that is how the VolleyBrothers semi-final against Vinnytsia's VRC Invasport – KhNUVS ended.

Not a single match lost all season

This is the first Ukrainian sitting volleyball championship for combat veterans and people with war-related disabilities, held under the auspices of the Federation of Sports of War Veterans and Combat Participants. According to the standings on the federation's website, the regular season consisted of four rounds between April and July, and VolleyBrothers won all 12 of their matches, collecting 35 points and first place going into the play-offs.

In Lviv on 12 September the Kyiv region side beat Rivnenshchyna 3:0 in its first play-off match, and the federation named Bucha's Serhii Hurduza the best player of that game. The next morning VolleyBrothers defeated Vinnytsia's VRC Invasport – KhNUVS 3:1 in the semi-final; that was the only set the champions dropped in the entire play-offs. In the final on 13 September the Kyiv region team dealt with Lutsk's Stalevi Lytsari (Steel Knights) in three sets: 25:14, 25:18, 25:17. Viktor Chonhovai of the Kyiv region team was named the best player of the decisive match. The Vinnytsia side took bronze by beating Yastruby MHP.

The VolleyBrothers team in yellow jerseys poses on the court by a scoreboard reading 3:0 in LvivPhoto: Kyiv Regional Military Administration
Another 3:0 shut-out in Lviv.

The federation's calendar originally listed the final for September in Kyiv, but the decisive matches ended up being hosted by Lviv. Over the whole season VolleyBrothers played 15 matches and lost none. The title was the result of a successful season, the Kyiv Regional Military Administration confirmed: behind every win stand hard training, teamwork and character.

The team was assembled in Bucha

VolleyBrothers Kyiv Region is a team created only this season. In January, open sitting volleyball training sessions were held at Bucha's Academy of Sports, after which the regional administration reported the war veterans' initiative to create a new team, Volley Brothers Kyiv Region. The national debut came in April in Zdolbuniv, Rivne region, where, according to the federation's schedule, the team went through the first round unbeaten.

On the federation's website both Bucha players are listed as attackers, and both started the final. There are 17 years between them: Roman Sukhostav was born in 1997, Serhii Hurduza in 1980. Hurduza is also the team's official representative. VolleyBrothers are coached by Yurii Zekun, who takes the court himself as well.

Our veterans prove once again that sport helps you grow, overcome challenges and move forward. We are proud of Roman and Serhii, who together with the team represent the Bucha community with dignity at the national level.

Bucha City Councilofficial statement

As a reminder, in late August veterans from Irpin brought home three gold medals from the Ukrainian Cup in strongman all-round.

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