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Anna Pysmenska—European diving champion and Olympic finalist—made her debut as a judge at the European Junior Diving Championships, recently held in Budapest.

The event marked an important new chapter in Anna’s sporting career, this time serving as an official at one of Europe’s most prestigious junior competitions.

“It is impossible to put into words the emotions and impressions this championship gave me. It was fascinating to experience the complete opposite role: as an athlete, you are the one being judged, and now everything is the other way around. It is equally exciting because it requires focus, preparation, an in-depth knowledge of the sport and its rules, quick reactions, and at the same time the ability to see the bigger picture while paying close attention to every detail.

In just a few seconds, you have to award a score and be able to fully justify it, as the judges’ work is also assessed by observers from the European Aquatics Technical Committee. Whenever there are significant differences in the scores given by the judging panel, these situations are reviewed during the technical briefings. It is entirely possible that your score may differ from the others, yet still prove to be the most accurate assessment of a particular dive.

This has been an invaluable experience that will certainly help me grow, give me greater confidence, and open the door to officiating at the highest-level international competitions in the future. It was also a wonderful opportunity to work alongside experienced judges, learn from them, and put my own knowledge into practice,” the Ukrainian official said.

Last year, Anna Pysmenska, together with Oleg Kolodii, successfully completed the European Aquatics judges’ training programme and was admitted to the organisation’s pool of judges. More recently, she also passed the examination to become a World Aquatics Bronze Level Judge.

For Anna, the European Junior Championships in Budapest became another important step towards earning the opportunity to officiate at the premier championships organised by both World Aquatics and European Aquatics.

The European Junior Diving Championships concluded in Budapest, bringing together 158 athletes from 27 European countries.

Throughout the week, the Ukrainian team reached the podium every day and finished the competition with an outstanding 14 medals: 3 gold, 3 silver, and 8 bronze.

This impressive performance secured third place in the gold medal standings and second place in the overall points classification. In total, athletes from only nine countries won medals at the Championships.

President of the Ukrainian Diving Federation and the Artistic Swimming Federation of Ukraine, Igor Lysov, congratulated the junior national team on its successful performance:

“This result is a testament to the hard work of our athletes, the professionalism of our coaches, and the coordinated efforts of the entire team. Once again, our young divers have proven that Ukraine has a strong diving tradition and a bright future in this sport. I sincerely congratulate every athlete, coach, specialist, and everyone who supported the team on this journey. Thank you for representing Ukraine with pride on the international stage and for the emotions you have given to our entire country.”

The junior divers now turn their attention to another major event of the season—the World Junior Championships, which will take place from 21 to 28 August in Rijeka, Croatia.

Our medal winners

🥇 Nazarii KONONENKO – 1m Springboard (Group B)

🥇 Alina POLONETS – 3m Springboard (Group B)

🥇 Alina POLONETS – 1m Springboard (Group B)

🥈 Nazarii KONONENKO & Valerii MALIEIEV – Synchronised Platform

🥈 Nazarii KONONENKO – Platform (Group B)

🥈 Alina POLONETS & Daria POLIAKOVA – Synchronised 3m Springboard

🥉 Sofiia VYSTAVKINA, Yelyzaveta DIADIUK, Nazarii KONONENKO & Valerii MALIEIEV – Mixed Team Event

🥉 Sofia ESMAN & Diana SHEVCHENKO – Synchronised Platform

🥉 Dmytro STEPANOV – 1m Springboard (Group A)

🥉 Sofiia VYSTAVKINA – Platform (Group A)

🥉 Valerii MALIEIEV & Dmytro STEPANOV – Synchronised 3m Springboard

🥉 Kseniia BOCHEK – 1m Springboard (Group A)

🥉 Valerii MALIEIEV – 3m Springboard (Group A)

🥉 Kseniia BOCHEK – 3m Springboard (Group A)

European Aquatics President Antonio Silva and Vice President Erkan Yalçın paid an official visit to Kyiv.

During the visit, the representatives of the European governing body for aquatic sports met with Ukrainian athletes, coaches, and federation officials.

At the Liko Sportlife Olimpiyskyi Centre, Antonio Silva and Erkan Yalçın observed the training conditions of Ukraine’s athletes. They met with Marta Fiedina, State Coach of the Ukrainian Artistic Swimming National Team and Olympic medallist; Anna Sorokina, Vice President of the Ukrainian Diving Federation, Chair of the European Aquatics Technical Diving Committee, and Olympic medallist; as well as Volodymyr Volkovynskyi, First Vice President of the Federation.

“I am grateful for the invitation. I remain in regular contact with your President, Igor Lysov, and we have plans to bring the European Diving Championships back to Kyiv. However, this will only be possible once we can guarantee the safety of all participants. It is important for us that Ukrainian athletes continue to compete internationally, as this is the best opportunity to represent their country before the global sporting community. We greatly value your high standards and are confident that you will proudly represent both Ukraine and Europe at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,” said Antonio Silva.

The European Aquatics President also confirmed that Russian and Belarusian athletes will compete under neutral status at the European Aquatics Championships, which will take place in Paris this summer.

The visit by the European Aquatics leadership served as an important demonstration of support for Ukrainian athletes, coaches, and the entire sporting community, which continues to train and represent Ukraine on the international stage despite the ongoing challenges of the war.

In Beijing, Ukraine’s duo in the Synchronised Platform event claimed the silver medal at the World Cup Super Final.

Oleksii SEREDA and Mark HRYTSENKO produced a confident performance, scoring 404.28 points—their best result of the season. Last year, the pair won bronze at this prestigious event, marking their first international medal since joining forces as a synchronised partnership.

The President of the Ukrainian Diving Federation and the Artistic Swimming Federation of Ukraine, Igor Lysov, congratulated the athletes and the coaching staff on their excellent result, encouraging them to build on this success and continue their impressive medal-winning form.

The International Junior Diving Meet has concluded in Dresden, Germany—one of the most prestigious events on the international junior diving calendar, second only to the World Junior Championships and the European Junior Championships.

This year’s competition brought together 110 athletes from 16 countries.

Represented by 13 divers, the Ukrainian team delivered an outstanding performance, winning 15 medals (6 gold, 7 silver, and 2 bronze) to finish second in the overall team standings.

Tournament hosts Germany claimed first place with a total of 9 gold, 5 silver, and 3 bronze medals, while Great Britain and the Netherlands shared third place with one silver and one bronze medal each.

Our medal winners

🥇 Nazarii KONONENKO – 1m Springboard (Group B)

🥇 Nazarii KONONENKO – Platform (Group B)

🥇 Valerii MALIEIEV – 1m Springboard (Group A)

🥇 Alina BURSOVA – Platform (Group B)

🥇 Alina POLONETS & Daria TERTYCHNA – Synchronised 3m Springboard

🥇 Yelyzaveta DIADIUK – 3m Springboard (Group A)

🥈 Yelyzaveta DIADIUK, Nazarii KONONENKO, Alisa KRYVETSKA and Valerii MALIEIEV – Mixed Team Event

🥈 Nazarii KONONENKO & Valerii MALIEIEV – Synchronised Platform

🥈 Nazarii KONONENKO – 3m Springboard (Group B)

🥈 Valerii MALIEIEV – 3m Springboard (Group A)

🥈 Diana SHEVCHENKO – Platform (Group A)

🥈 Yelyzaveta DIADIUK – 1m Springboard (Group A)

🥈 Alina POLONETS – 3m Springboard (Group B)

🥉 Daria POLIAKOVA – Platform (Group B)

🥉 Nazarii KONONENKO & Andrii HAPONENKO – Synchronised 3m Springboard

The President of the Ukrainian Diving Federation and the Artistic Swimming Federation of Ukraine, Igor Lysov, congratulated the entire team on another outstanding performance, noting that the result once again demonstrates the tremendous potential of Ukrainian diving.

The Ukrainian Diving Federation and the Artistic Swimming Federation of Ukraine express their profound disappointment and strongly condemn World Aquatics’ decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to return to international competitions under their national flags, national uniforms, and with their national anthems.

This decision is unacceptable and profoundly unfair to Ukrainian athletes, who have been living and training under the conditions of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine for more than four years.

Ukrainian athletes do not—and cannot—have equal training conditions with representatives of the aggressor states.

Every day, our athletes:

● lose family members, friends, coaches, and teammates as a result of Russia’s aggression;

● lose their homes, many of which have been destroyed or damaged;

● lose training facilities, swimming pools, and sports infrastructure damaged by Russian missiles and drones;

● are forced to interrupt training sessions because of air raid alerts and missile attacks;

● train in bomb shelters or in swimming pools operating under constant disruptions due to power outages and ongoing security threats;

● live under continuous psychological pressure, fearing for their own lives and the lives of their loved ones.

For Ukrainian athletes, war is not an abstract concept or a political debate.

It is their daily reality.

It is impossible to speak about “equal conditions” when one side prepares in safety, enjoys full access to sports infrastructure, state support, and a peaceful life, while the other wakes up to air raid sirens almost every night.

We categorically reject the idea that representatives of countries waging war against Ukraine should once again appear on the international stage under their national flags, representing states whose actions continue to take the lives of innocent Ukrainians every day.

It is particularly painful and cynical that this decision has been made at a time when Ukrainian athletes continue to demonstrate extraordinary resilience, dignity, and dedication to sport despite the war. They compete not only for medals, but also to show the world that Ukraine lives, fights, and will not surrender.

We call on World Aquatics, the entire international sporting community, and all national federations to reconsider this decision.

Allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national symbols is not a step towards unity in sport. It sends the message that aggression, destruction, and the loss of human lives can simply be ignored.

Sport cannot exist without moral principles. Without justice, there can be no fair competition. And without remembering those who have lost their lives, there can be no genuine respect for the Olympic values.

We call for the current restrictions on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes under their national symbols to remain in force until Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has ended and a just and lasting peace has been restored.

The President of the Ukrainian Diving Federation and the Artistic Swimming Federation of Ukraine, Igor Lysov, held the traditional meeting with the national team athletes and coaching staff at the start of the new season.

During the meeting, the Federation President thanked the team for their dedication and the outstanding results achieved by Ukrainian athletes in 2025. Both the senior and junior national teams finished as the best overall teams at the European Championships, while Oleksii SEREDA won the silver medal at the World Championships, the best individual result of his career. Крім того, Олексій Середа виборов срібну нагороду чемпіонату світу, що стало найкращим особистим результатом у його кар’єрі.

As recognition of their achievements in 2025, the athletes and coaches also received financial bonuses from Igor Lysov, President of the Ukrainian Diving Federation and the Artistic Swimming Federation of Ukraine.

“My dream is to hear the Ukrainian national anthem played at the Olympic Games. I promise substantial rewards from the Federation’s main sponsor for the athlete who fulfils this dream, as well as for their coach,” said Igor Lysov.

The Federation President also outlined the team’s primary objective for the coming years: to secure Olympic qualification in all synchronised diving events for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. He stressed that the team must continue building on its momentum and keep moving forward with confidence.

“It is time to shift our focus from quantity to quality. The task ahead is not an easy one, but we must prepare properly. As President of the Federations, I have done everything possible—and will continue to do so—to ensure that you have everything you need. I would also like to thank the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine for providing full financial support to our sport,” Igor Lysov added.

The meeting marked an important beginning to the new season and once again reaffirmed the ambitious goals of Ukraine’s divers as they prepare for the upcoming international competitions.

Oleksii SEREDA has been included in the UP100 – Ukraine’s 100 Most Influential People ranking by Ukrainska Pravda, receiving recognition in the Sport category.

This honour is far more than a place in a ranking. It is recognition of Oleksii’s extraordinary dedication, resilience and relentless pursuit of excellence, qualities he continues to demonstrate despite the many challenges faced by Ukraine.

This year alone, Ukraine’s star diver won silver at the World Championships and became a three-time European champion.

For the third time, Ukrainska Pravda has presented its UP100 list, celebrating one hundred Ukrainians who are shaping the country’s independence and future.

2025 has been a year of difficult choices. Ukrainians have learned to live on the edge—between exhaustion and strength, compromise and principle, adaptation and staying true to themselves. Every decision has become not only political or professional, but deeply personal.

That is why this year’s UP100 honours people who make difficult choices when it matters most—leaders who act when others remain silent, and those who accept responsibility when it is at its greatest.

Because true leadership today is the ability to make the right choice, even when there are no easy answers.

The Olympic House hosted the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine’s ceremony honouring the Best Young Athlete of June. The prestigious title was awarded to European Junior diving champion Diana KARNAFEL, while her coach Olha Ivanenko was named Best Coach of a Young Athlete.

Receiving the award, Diana KARNAFEL said she was delighted to be recognised as Athlete of the Month. The young Ukrainian diver first made her mark on the international stage last year, when she claimed her first European junior title at the European Junior Championships in Rzeszów, Poland. According to Diana, becoming a champion had always been her dream, but she understood that staying at the top is even more difficult than reaching it.
This year, she confirmed her status as one of Europe’s best junior divers and, at her senior European Championships debut, captured her first senior gold medal by winning the Synchronised 3m Springboard event alongside Kseniia BOCHEK.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the President of the Ukrainian Diving Federation, Igor Lysov, for his continuous support and for creating the opportunities that allow athletes to develop. Thanks to this, we are able to represent Ukraine with pride on the international stage.

I would also like to thank the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, and personally Vadym Guttsait, for this recognition. For me, it is not only an award, but also motivation to keep working even harder and striving for greater achievements.

My heartfelt thanks go to my personal coach, Olha Ivanenko, and to all the coaches who work with me for their support and belief in me. And, of course, I am deeply grateful to the Armed Forces of Ukraine for giving us the opportunity to train and compete under the Ukrainian flag,” Diana KARNAFEL said.

Her coach, Olha Ivanenko, also thanked the organisers for the recognition, admitting that the award came as a pleasant surprise.

“It is wonderful to know that my work has been recognised so highly. This award motivates me to become even better, achieve greater results, and never stop improving.”

The Ukrainian Diving Federation, led by Igor Lysov, also received an award in recognition of its contribution to preparing the champion. The distinction was accepted on behalf of the Federation by Vice President Tamara Tokmachova, who received it from NOC President Vadym Guttsait.

“This is not our ultimate goal—we are moving towards the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The conditions created by our Federation President, Igor Lysov, leave us with only one option: to strive for Olympic medals,” said Tamara Tokmachova.

Photos: Press Service of the Ukrainian Diving Federation

His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, met with the athletes and coaches of Ukraine’s national diving team together with the President of the Ukrainian Diving Federation and the Artistic Swimming Federation of Ukraine, Igor Lysov.

The meeting took place at the newly renovated Liko Sportlife Olimpiyskyi aquatic centre, which recently reopened following a major reconstruction.

His Beatitude Metropolitan Epiphanius toured the modern sports complex, watched an open training session of the national team, and spoke with the young athletes. At the end of the visit, he presented the children with sweet gifts.