Roman Svichkar: “There are many strong athletes, but you'll hear about them a little later”
April 18, 2025 — Two-time World Fencing Championships medalist Roman Svichkar shared his thoughts on the development of fencing in Ukraine in an interview with Tribuna.com.
On the accessibility of fencing for children
— We know that football is an easy sport to start with — all you need is a ball. How high is the entry barrier for fencing?
— At first, local federations help by providing equipment. In Kharkiv, the UNIC team created a club where you can train in fencing for free throughout the year. Later on, of course, athletes will need to buy their own gear.
On fencing infrastructure
— How developed is the fencing infrastructure in Ukraine?
— Kyiv is the most popular city for fencing. There are many clubs on both sides of the river, so residents of the capital can easily find a convenient place to train. In Kharkiv, there are currently three or four training locations.
Situation with training halls during the war
— What is the current state of the “Unifecht” complex in Kharkiv, which was hit during shelling?
— Fencing at “Unifecht” is thriving. There's a large hole from a missile strike, but the left side has been repaired. We’re training there. One part of the hall is closed, but the other part is operating, and many people are coming.
Problems in southern regions
— What’s the situation in Mykolaiv, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia?
— It’s tough there. Many children have left. That’s the most painful part — children are leaving the country. Now we need to re-popularize fencing and encourage new participants to join.
On the young men's team
— Are there any promising juniors?
— The 17–20 age group is currently very successful. There's a separate league for under 13s, where athletes are winning medals. They’re still in the shadows, but you’ll hear about them soon — once they make it to the national team.
On Maksym Perchuk
— We saw Maksym Perchuk perform well at the youth world championships. What are his prospects?
— Congratulations to Maksym. He already won a medal at the U17 World Championships and is now moving on to the U20 Worlds. He’s also earned medals at senior Satellite FIE tournaments. He’s a very promising athlete.
I wish him and his coach Ruslan Tymoshenko great success. I hope they’ll challenge us — the adult national team.
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