Ukrainian world champion killed after taking up arms to fight Russian invasion

A Ukrainian world champion has tragically been killed after choosing to take up arms and defend his country from Russia’s invasion.

A Ukrainian kickboxing world champion has been killed while fighting in the besieged city of Mariupol, his coach has confirmed.

The Sun reports Maksym Kagal, 30, died as be battled Russian forces as part of Ukraine’s Azov Battalion unit.

In a statement posted on Facebook, coach Oleg Skirta said: “Unfortunately, the war takes the best.

“On 25 March, while defending the city of Mariupol as part of the Azov Separate Special Forces Unit, Maksym Kagal died.

“Sleep well, Brother, rest in peace, we will avenge you.”

The talented kickboxer, from the city of Kremenchug, was crowned world champion as part of the ISKA team in 2014.

He was described by his coach as ‘the first world champion among adults in the team of Ukraine, and just an honest and decent person”.

Kagal’s death came on the same day as a further 300 were reportedly killed in a brutal bombing of a theatre in the city where more than 1000 terrified people were sheltering for safety.

RT @SashaUstinovaUA: #Ukraine's world kickboxing champion Maksym Kagal died defending #Mariupol. He was 30 and chose to defend hie country over the sport career.
Glory to Ukrainian Heroes#NoFlyZoneOverUkraine#DefendDemocracypic.twitter.com/yynMbKdwJG

— Trixy (@itrixy) March 28, 2022

Many Ukrainian athletes have taken up arms to defend their country against the Russians. Retired tennis star Alexandr Dolgopolov returned home to defend his native city Kyiv.

“Used to be rackets and strings, now this,” he wrote in a post on social media alongside a photo of a rifle, helmet and flak jacket this month.

“Hi Kyiv, I’m back to help with what I can and defend our home,” the 33-year-old who climbed to a highest rank of 13 in 2012 told his Instagram followers.

Fellow former tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky, who famously beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2013, also signed up for his country’s military reserves.

Others to answer their country’s hour of need are two-time Olympic boxing gold medallist Vasiliy Lomachenko and world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, who returned to fight as soon as the invasion began.

Former heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko is the mayor of Kyiv and said before the war started he was ready to fight. The 50-year-old’s brother Wladimir, also a former heavyweight champion, volunteered to take part in the resistance.

With The Sun and AFP