Sport in Ukraine

When it comes to sports, Ukraine is a typical European country. Of the many different sports Ukraine plays, the major sport is football.

Football

Ukraine has four levels of football. The strongest and most popular league is the Vyscha Liha (Top league), which is also known as the Ukrainian Premier League. The next league which is lower than the Vyscha Liha is called the Persha Liha or the Ukrainian First League. Next league down is Second League which is divided into two groups, East(B) and West(A) according to their location. Forth level is Amateur Level.

The leagues' competitors change every year. The lowest two clubs in terms of points in the Vyscha Liha get sent down to the Persha Liha, with the two top teams of the Persha Liha moving up to the Vyscha Liha. The two lowest Persha Liha teams get sent down to the Druha Liha . Then the Top two teams in the Druha Liha League move up to the Vyscha Liha. . Various clubs receive three points if they win, one point if they tie, and zero points for a loss. Each Ukrainian team plays each other twice.

The teams from all leagues can participate in the Ukrainian Cup.

The winners of the Ukrainian Championship and the Ukrainian Cup take part in the Ukrainian Super Cup.

Basketball

Ukraine also has a relatively unknown basketball league. But the teams are still strong enough to make it into the Eurocup basketball championship. The top Ukrainian League is called the Ukrainian Basketball Super League. The next top league is called the Vyscha Liha. The next strongest league is called the Persha Liha.

Hockey

Hockey too is a common sport. Sokol kyiv is the most popular team. Ukraine also has a Ukraine National ice hockey team.

Cricket

The Ukraine Cricket Association exists to promote the game of cricket in Ukraine.There are a lot of cricket clubs in Ukraine at this time: Kyiv Cricket Club, Kharkiv Cricket Club, Crimea Cricket Club, Vinnytsya Cricket Club, Ternopil Cricket Club, Donetsk Cricket Club and Luhansk Cricket Club.

Rhythmic Gymnastics

Rhythmic gymnastics is considered one of the most popular sports ever in Ukraine. Many Ukrainian rhythmic gymnasts such as Anna Bessonova , Natalia Godunko , Elena Vitrichenko and Alexandra Timoshenko succeeded to be the top rhythmic gymnasts ever in this world. Rhythmic gymnastics clubs are almost everywhere in Ukraine. The most famous and the strongest rhythmic gymnastics training school in Ukraine is the Deriugina School which is in Kiev. A mother Albina Deriugina and the daughter Irina Deriugina are the ones who are running the school itself and coaching the girls at the moment. Top rhythmic gymnasts train in that school.

Olympic Games

Ukraine is a regular participant in the Olympic Games, both summer and winter and is successful on the international arena, country's top achievent at the olympics was at 1996 Summer Olympics, when they came 9th. They made their winter debut at the 1984 games, which included a notable fourth place finish in the ladies' figure skating by Crissy Hovrov (now Manley).

ee also

*Football records in Ukraineee