The Ukrainian Weekly (https://www.ukrweekly.com/uwwp/author/ihor-stelmach/page/8/)
Johnny Bucyk was named one of the NHL’s 100, the top-100 players in the history of the National Hockey League’s 100 years of existence. This is the fifth in a series featuring the six Ukrainian hockey stars selected to this elite group. June 10, 1957. Newspaper headlines told of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s recovery from a heart attack. The top movie was “Gunfight at the OK Corral.” Houses in the Boston suburbs listed for $15,900.
In its first year competing, Team Ukraine quickly became the star of the 2017 Invictus Games. A joyous gathering of Ukrainian Canadians met the Ukrainian contingent at Toronto’s airport, singing the Ukrainian national anthem. The triumvirate of England’s Prince Harry, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko effusively praised Team Ukraine at the games’ world press meet-and-greet. Team Ukraine was composed of only 15 athletes, but these were 15 fiercely determined to make Ukraine proud in Toronto. The veteran-athletes received much attention, as both Prime Minister Trudeau and President Poroshenko were in Toronto after the annual opening of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City just days prior.
Light heavyweight contender Oleksandr Gvozdyk (14-0, 12 KO) registered a sixth-round knockout of Craig Baker (17-2, 13 KO) in the co-feature of a boxing card at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb., on August 19. The 30-year-old Ukrainian went down a notch in terms of quality opponent when compared to his two most recent bouts. The 2012 Olympic bronze medalist pounded Yunieski Gonzalez (18-3, 14 KO) into the ground in round three last April, and destroyed longtime contender Isaac Chilemba (25-5-2, 10 KO) in an eighth-round knockout in November 2016. These days Gvozdyk has difficulty in finding quality opponents willing to fight him. This was not the case with the 33-year-old Texas native, Baker.
Far from the peak physical form required for a finals match, Elina Svitolina battled through exhaustion and overwhelmed still another top-10 opponent for her fifth WTA Tour title of the season on August 13 in Toronto. Playing her third match in a little over 24 hours, the young Ukrainian toppled Caroline Wozniacki, 6-4, 6-0 to win the 2017 Rogers Cup. “I’m just very happy that it’s finished,” Svitolina said in a post-match press conference. “And with a title, it’s even more special.”
Rain on Friday forced Svitolina to play her quarterfinal on Saturday morning. Exhausted from a late night and hurting from a right Achilles’ tendon injury, her expectations of winning were not too high.
Terry Sawchuk was named one of the NHL’s 100 – the top-100 players in the history of the National Hockey League’s 100 years of existence. This is the fourth in a series featuring the six Ukrainian hockey stars selected to this elite group. A few in the trade have exceeded Terry Sawchuk’s victory and shutout totals, but not one who puts on goalie equipment will ever exceed the Ukrainian’s ability to stop the puck. Fellow Uke Johnny Bower, who teamed with Sawchuk to backstop the Toronto Maple Leafs to their final Stanley Cup win in 1966-1967, proclaimed Sawchuk “the greatest goaltender ever.” It takes one to know one. Back in the beginning of Sawchuk’s career there were a scant six NHL net-minding employment opportunities.
He has set as his ultimate goal to be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world and he has already been mentioned by some boxing pundits as at that ultimate status. Another step toward that goal was to take care of his next challenger, underdog Miguel Marriaga. Junior lightweight world titleholder Vasyl Lomachenko stepped forward big time on August 5 in the main event of the boxing card at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The Ukrainian toyed with Marriaga, knocking him down twice, winning by a seventh-round technical knockout.
Wladimir Klitschko officially ended a 21-year professional boxing career on August 3, when he announced his retirement. One of the longest-reigning champions in the sport’s history, he competed in more heavyweight title bouts than anyone. Klitschko’s final fight, on April 29 in front of 90,000 at sold out Wembley Stadium in London, was his 29th heavyweight title appearance – two more than the legendary Joe Louis – a classic battle against England’s Anthony Joshua, his ex-sparring partner. The bout was a thrilling, dramatic highlight for the ages where both fighters got knocked down and showed tremendous fire power. Klitschko, 41, went down three times and was out in the 11th round.
Islanders superstar Mike Bossy
Mike Bossy was named one of the NHL’s 100 – the top-100 players in the history of the National Hockey League’s 100 years of existence. This is the third in a series featuring the six Ukrainian hockey stars selected to this elite group. When hockey pundits discuss late-20th century dynasties, the team that first comes to mind is the Edmonton Oilers. Ranking right up there with Gretzky’s Oilers are the New York Islanders of the 1980s, often referred to as one of the greatest teams of all-time. One of the main men on the Isles’ top line was Ukrainian right wing Mike Bossy, partnered with center Bryan Trottier and left wing Clark Gillies.
Ukrainian hockey hero: Johnny Bower
Johnny Bower was named one of The NHL’s 100, the top 100 players in the history of the National Hockey League’s 100 years of existence. This is the second in a series featuring the six Ukrainian hockey stars selected to this elite group. The National Hockey League recently selected him as one of the game’s top-15 goaltenders of all time, yet he didn’t make it in the world’s top circuit until he was 35 years old, as a rookie with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1959. This was after a brief stint with the New York Rangers in which he failed to impress. Back in those olden days of the “Original Six” there were only six full-time goaltending positions in the NHL as clubs did not yet carry back-up netminders.
Future Ukrainian soccer stars: prospects on the pitch
Viktor Kovalenko, Shakhtar Donetsk
Heading into Ukraine’s opening match at Euro 2016 against Germany, it was déjà vu for two young, up-and-coming soccer stars. For the Germans it was Schalke 04’s Leroy Sane; for Ukraine, 20-year-old Viktor Kovalenko via Shakhtar Donetsk. Indeed, the two had met earlier in the season. Their initial encounter took place in the return-leg match between Schalke and Shakhtar in the round of 32 of the UEFA Europa League. Many assumed Schalke would advance to the next round, but after a 0-0 draw in Lviv, Shakhtar had the advantage, as a draw with goals allowed Shakhtar to progress into the next round, as away goals are worth more on aggregate tallies.