During the Ukrainian taekwondo (WTF) championship, which took place on March 5-8 in Lviv, a special event occurred for the sports community of Donetsk region: the region's leading athlete Artem Harbar received the certificate of “Honored master of sports of Ukraine.”
The 22-year-old athlete from Druzhkivka was awarded the highest sporting title for his extraordinary achievement on the international stage – a bronze medal at the World championships, which was the first award of this level in the history of Ukrainian men's taekwondo (WTF).
In October 2025, in the Chinese city of Wuxi, Artem Harbar was among the top three in the weight category up to 87 kg. On his way to the podium, he defeated opponents from Australia, Azerbaijan and Brazil, losing only to a titled athlete from Italy.
The certificate of “Honored master of sports of Ukraine” was solemnly presented to the taekwondo athlete from Donetsk region by Lesik Samandzhia, president of the public organization “Taekwondo federation (WTF) of Ukraine.”
“Hard work pays off. I’m proud and grateful to have been awarded the title of Honored master of sports of Ukraine. It means a lot to me, and I’m grateful to everyone who supported me along the way. To be continued”, - said the athlete.
Artem Harbar is an athlete of the Donetsk region school of higher sports excellence and a scholarship recipient of the Donetsk regional state administration. His mentors are his father, Serhiy Harbar, and Honored coach of Ukraine Yuriy Biryukov.
Artem Harbar's success once again demonstrates the strength and resilience of Donetsk Oblast. Even in the difficult conditions of war, its athletes continue to train hard, climb the podiums of international competitions, and bring glory to Ukraine around the world.