Two Injured Ukrainian Soldiers Running London Marathon For Their War-Torn Homeland—-Two injured Ukrainian marines are taking on the TCS London Marathon for their war-torn homeland — and will return to active duty afterwards.
Heorhii ‘Gosha’ Roshka and Oleksii Rudenko have refused to be sidelined after losing limbs in the fight against Russian military aggression since 2014.
The 42km run in London will be the servicemen’s first marathon, with Mr Rudenko telling the PA news agency: “We are very eager to start. We’re ready and we’re not afraid.”
“I want as many people as possible to see that Ukrainians can beat the marathon even without limbs and that we are unbreakable and unstoppable,” he added.
Mr Roshka joined the Ukrainian army in 2017 after Russia occupied Crimea.
In May 2022, he took up a combat position in the Azovstal steel plant, the heart of a pocket of resistance in the then-besieged city of Mariupol, which is now under Russian occupation.
After being hit by a mine, he retreated to a bunker in the steel plant where his arm was amputated.
Less than two weeks later he was forced to surrender and was taken captive along with his comrades.
Mr Roshka said he is “still very emotional” about the atmosphere inside the steel plant.
“People were in a very bad situation so we were just waiting there for the final moment of our life because no-one thought there was going to be survival,” he said.
“Some people decided it was going to be maybe easier to shoot themselves because it was a desperate situation.”
Mr Roshka was held captive with his fellow Ukrainian soldiers in a hospital in Donetsk for a month-and-a-half before he was eventually freed as part of a prisoner swap.
He said: “I lost a lot of blood so I didn’t really care at the moment we were taken captive. I felt really, really bad and I didn’t really care what happened next.
“During captivity itself, it was really hard. We were humiliated both physically and mentally. We were hit and verbally abused.
“When the arm was amputated in Azovstal the conditions were really bad and I couldn’t properly treat it there and in captivity I didn’t get good healthcare so the arm started to rot.”
Mr Roshka was initially suspicious when placed on a bus driving to Ukraine but when he realised he was being freed, he felt “happiness”.
“We started to have faith and then once we saw the Ukrainian flag, almost everyone started crying and we were really happy,” he said.
Mr Roshka went through “a hard path of recovery, prosthetics, and rehabilitation” in Ukraine before returning to military service.
On running the London Marathon, he said: “This is not only a test of my character, but also an opportunity for me to support my fellow brothers who were seriously wounded.”
Mr Rudenko, who had to leave the interview early after air raid sirens rang out in Odesa, joined the Ukrainian army in 2020 and held a position in Donetsk for six months before stepping on a mine during a combat mission and losing his leg.
“We were walking through a forest and we de-mined three mines but the fourth mine was hidden under the ground. It wasn’t visible so I stood on it,” he told PA.
“Then after the explosion I saw that my leg was gone so I quickly applied a tourniquet and we decided to fall back.”
Mr Rudenko, now an army instructor, continued: “I was taken to Kyiv first and underwent nine operations and when I spoke to the doctor I asked them if I could run after the amputation.
“The doctor said that in order to run, I would need a sports prosthetic so to do that they needed to cut the upper leg so this is why I had another operation to cut the leg even more.”
After undergoing nine operations, it took Mr Rudenko five months to fully adapt to his prosthetic leg.
He said: “The first couple of weeks you have to walk 12 minutes a day on prosthetics but I didn’t care and I walked two or three hours. You really need to move. If you move a lot, it’s easier to adapt.”
The servicemen are raising money for two injured Ukrainian soldiers through the Citizen Charity Foundation.
Mr Rudenko concluded: “I am running 2024 London Marathon to support as many seriously injured fellow brothers with amputations as possible.
“My goal is to spread awareness and raise funds for seriously injured Ukrainian servicemen who have lost limbs.”
Patrick Vieira has been appointed the new head coach of the Senegal national team, with the former France international taking charge of the Teranga Lions for the first time in his managerial career.
The Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) confirmed Vieira’s appointment on Tuesday, August 18, announcing that the 50-year-old will succeed Pape Thiaw, whose tenure ended following Senegal’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The appointment represents a major new chapter in Vieira’s coaching career and his first opportunity to manage a senior national team.
Vieira Returns to His Birth Country
Although Vieira represented France throughout his international career, including winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000, he was born in Dakar, Senegal.
The former midfielder moved to France at the age of eight before developing into one of the country’s most celebrated footballers. He eventually earned 107 caps for Les Bleus and became an important figure in France’s golden generation.
His connection to Senegal makes the appointment particularly significant as he now returns to lead the country’s senior national team.
Replacing Pape Thiaw
Vieira takes over after Thiaw was removed from his position following Senegal’s disappointing World Cup campaign.
The Teranga Lions were eliminated in the round of 32 after surrendering a 2–0 lead against Belgium before eventually losing 3–2 in extra time. The result brought an early end to Senegal’s World Cup ambitions and contributed to the decision to make a change in the dugout.
The FSF subsequently turned to Vieira as it looks to begin a new era.
First National-Team Job for Vieira
Vieira arrives with considerable experience in club management but has never previously managed a senior international side.
He began his coaching career with Manchester City’s youth setup before taking charge of New York City FC in MLS. He later managed French side Nice, Premier League club Crystal Palace, Strasbourg and Italian club Genoa.
His appointment therefore presents a new challenge for the former Arsenal captain, who must now translate his club-management experience to the international stage.
AFCON 2027 Qualification Awaits
Vieira’s first major task will be preparing Senegal for the next international window and the country’s qualification campaign for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
Senegal are the reigning African champions and will be expected to remain among the continent’s leading teams under their new manager. The AFCON qualifiers are scheduled to begin as early as September.
The appointment also gives Vieira an opportunity to build a team capable of competing for another continental title while establishing a long-term project with the national side.
A New Chapter for Senegal
For Senegal, Vieira’s appointment represents both a change in leadership and an attempt to reset after a disappointing World Cup.
For Vieira, it is a chance to manage the country of his birth and take charge of a talented generation of Senegalese players.
The FSF said further details concerning Vieira’s official presentation and the next steps in his installation will be announced later.
The man who lifted the World Cup with France in 1998 will now attempt to lead Senegal to continental and international success — beginning with the Teranga Lions’ new era under Patrick Vieira.
Enzo Maresca’s first competitive match in charge of Manchester City ended in a nightmare as Arsenal swept aside the FA Cup holders 3–0 to claim the 2026 Community Shield at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
The defeat means Maresca has suffered another setback against Arsenal, having previously faced the Gunners during his time at Chelsea. But this loss will carry particular significance, coming in his first competitive game since taking over from Pep Guardiola at City.
Calafiori Strikes Inside 24 Seconds
Arsenal needed less than a minute to take control.
Riccardo Calafiori opened the scoring after just 24 seconds, finishing from Myles Lewis-Skelly’s delivery to give Mikel Arteta’s side a dream start. It was reported as the fastest Community Shield goal in 58 years.
The early goal immediately put City under pressure and gave Arsenal confidence as they looked to exploit the uncertainty surrounding Maresca’s new-look side.
Havertz Doubles Arsenal’s Lead
Arsenal continued to dominate and eventually doubled their advantage in the 28th minute.
Kai Havertz found the net after goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma failed to deal convincingly with the situation, leaving Arsenal with a commanding 2–0 lead before half-time.
City struggled to generate a sustained attacking response, with Arsenal’s defensive organisation limiting the opportunities available to Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.
Ødegaard Completes the Rout
The Gunners completed the victory early in the second half when captain Martin Ødegaard added a third goal.
Christos Tzolis was involved in another Arsenal attacking move, while Ødegaard produced a composed finish to effectively put the contest beyond City’s reach.
Arsenal’s defence then held firm to preserve a clean sheet and secure a convincing victory.
A Nightmare Start for Maresca
The result could hardly have been more difficult for Maresca.
The Italian was appointed as Guardiola’s successor after City entered a new era following the Spaniard’s departure. The Community Shield represented Maresca’s first competitive opportunity to demonstrate that he could lead the club back to the top of English football.
Instead, Arsenal exposed several weaknesses in his team, particularly in defensive organisation and their ability to control the match after falling behind.
Maresca had previously said one of his ambitions at City was to close the gap on Arsenal, who finished as Premier League champions last season. His first competitive meeting with the Gunners therefore provided an immediate test of that ambition.
Arsenal Send Early Warning
For Arteta and Arsenal, the victory provides an early statement ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
The Gunners looked sharp, aggressive and confident, while their new additions and returning players fitted smoothly into Arteta’s system.
The Community Shield does not determine the Premier League title race, but Arsenal’s performance will undoubtedly strengthen belief among their supporters that the champions are ready to defend their crown and compete for further silverware.
For Maresca, however, there is now plenty of work to do.
Manchester City’s new era has begun with a heavy defeat, while Arsenal have already sent a clear message to their rivals: they are ready for another fight at the top.
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