European Championships: Ukraine's 4x100m relay team find a home at Cardiff Met

Stanislav Kovalenko takes a moment to compose himself as he stands by the running track at Cardiff Metropolitan University, his breathing still a little heavy after a sprinting session.

"To be Ukrainian right now, you don't have a home, you don't have money, you don't have any personal support," he says.

"I'm proud of my country but it's really difficult right now, not only because of money but because a lot of people have lost their homes. I don't have the words to explain it."

Kovalenko is an international sprinter but, like many of his compatriots, he has found himself displaced by the war in Ukraine.

Since Russia's invasion, the 25-year-old and his team-mates have been forced to live on the road, first in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria and now in Wales.

In preparation for Friday's 4x100m relay at the European Championships in Munich, Ukraine's men's team have been based at Cardiff Met for the past three weeks.

The university is renowned for its world-class sporting facilities, with athletes from England, Botswana and New Zealand training here before the recent Commonwealth Games.

And as well as a place to work, the university has provided Kovalenko and his Ukrainian team-mates with accommodation, food, physiotherapy and sport science support, all free of charge.

"It was back in 2019 when I was delivering a course in Moscow and Sergiy Basenko [Ukraine's coach] was on that course. We formed a good friendship and remained in contact," explains Gareth Walton, a performance coach who works with the likes of European bronze medallist Jeremiah Azu.

"With the situation in Ukraine, I was thinking how I could support him. I shared a lot of video clips and so on to help support his athletes.

"Then Ian Bezodis [Cardiff Met senior lecturer in sport biomechanics] and I talked about bringing the Ukraine relay team to Cardiff. The rest is history.

"We've had a fantastic involvement with them, from a coaching perspective and also from a friendship side of things.

"It's unbelievable the reward and feeling you get each day leaving the track or the gym, not just from a coaching side but from a personal level of providing them with a safe, structured environment."

The Ukrainians are clearly enjoying themselves, not only on the track where they fly through their relay sessions but away from it as well.

Once training has finished, Kovalenko and his team-mates are keen - and occasionally puzzled - observers as the university's rugby players clatter into each other on an adjacent field.

"When we arrived in Wales, the first thing I noticed is that people here are very friendly and they helped us as much as possible," says Andrii Vasyliev, another member of the relay team.

"When we arrived here at Cardiff Metropolitan University, we have facilities which are unusual for us in Ukraine, where we don't have such professional facilities. It's amazing to spend time here preparing for the European Championships.

"It's a team sport and, as we run relay, we need to stay united as a team - like the whole Ukrainian nation."

Ukrainian sprinter Stanislav Kovalenko (right) trains at Cardiff Metropolitan University

The Ukrainians' stay in Cardiff is approaching its end but staff at the university hope this is the start of a long-term collaboration.

"It feels, in the grand scheme of things, like a small contribution but it's been great getting to know them as people as well as athletes," says Bezodis.

"We've hopefully forged some really strong bonds over the last three weeks and we're very keen that they might be able to come back, and they've said similar. Hopefully next year we'll see them back here."

After their final session before travelling to Germany, the Ukrainian athletes are paid a surprise visit by an athletics great.

Lynn Davies, the 1964 Olympic long jump champion, has brought his Olympic and European gold medals with him to deliver a motivational speech for the Ukrainians.

"It was such a privilege to come here to speak to these athletes at Cardiff Met. I'm an old student so I have some happy memories here," Davies says.

"I wanted to do it because of how brave they are and how they represent the fighting spirit which Ukraine is demonstrating at the moment. It's absolutely brilliant.

"I said to them: 'If you go to Munich and do well in this relay, think how that will inspire the people back home who are putting on this great fight against the Russians.'

"I have the greatest admiration for them."

Ukraine's 4x100m relay men's team with staff and coaches from Cardiff Met

The Ukrainian sprinters and Cardiff Met's staff take turns to pose for photographs with Davies, while some of the athletes seek him out for a few private words of wisdom.

"It was really unexpected. We didn't know he would be here," Kovalenko says, beaming.

"We would really like to be like him, to compete in the Olympics.

"We must show the whole world that Ukraine is a strong nation, not only in terms of military but we have strong sports as well.

"We are strong track and field athletes, we are strong relay runners, we can do better. Just give us an opportunity and we will improve."

Kovalenko grabs a Ukrainian flag for one final team photo with his fellow sprinters, Cardiff Met's staff and Davies, still holding his gold medals.

Whether or not the team have medals of their own to display after Friday's relay in Munich, they will show that, despite the hardship they face, to be Ukrainian at this time is to be proud.