Ukrainian athlete, coach, and multiple world karate champion, Oleksandr Semeniuk, tragically lost his life fighting against Russian invaders, the Department of Youth and Sports of the Lutsk City Council announced on Facebook on Jan. 2.
"We express our sincere condolences to his family and friends. The bright memory of Oleksandr will remain in our hearts forever...", the statement read.
According to the Ukrainian Karate Federation, Semeniuk was killed during a combat mission.
Photo: Департамент молоді та спорту Луцької міської ради
"Oleksandr was not only a warrior. For me, he embodied a whole era of Ukrainian karate - the one I looked up to, competed with, and thanks to whom I once believed in myself. His path was an example for many: the path of honesty, strength and dignity," said Oleksandr Pikulin, a renowned Ukrainian coach.
Semenyuk was a multiple world karate champion and coach.