Ukrainian man with cerebral palsy sets world record by lifting nearly twice his body weight
His mother, Yanina, and coach Anna Kurkurina told Suspilne about his records and his journey in sports, the outlet reports.
Dmytro has had cerebral palsy since birth. "I once promised myself I would never put him in a wheelchair. I think that promise kept me going. He couldn't walk, but he could ride a bike. I always tried to keep him five steps ahead," his mother said.
A family friend introduced Dmytro to coach Anna Kurkurina. She immediately saw his potential.
"He walks in, I look at him, and I think: 'This guy is going to be a world champion,'" Kurkurina recalled.
In August 2026, Dmytro set his second world record in the deadlift, lifting 107.5 kg at a body weight of just 55 kg. He broke two more world records at a competition in Poland on October 25:
His mother says his success is the greatest reward for years of supporting him.
The family now lives in Moldova. Dmytro trains there with Tetiana Fuha and works with Kurkurina online. He also runs a YouTube channel called "Cerebral Palsy Is Not a Sentence" and edits the videos himself.
Despite limited use of his hands, Dmytro works as a software developer and uses his nose to operate his phone.
Dmytro has qualified for the Arnold Classic multi-sport festival in the US, founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger. He plans to give it his all.
As Rubryka previously reported, 12-year-old Oleksii Shykarenko from Poltava, who has spastic cerebral palsy, opened a candle-making workshop called "Firefly" with his mother. He built the workshop's website himself with the help of AI. Now he is growing the business and is raising money for a home with a yard. He also donates part of the proceeds to support Ukraine's Armed Forces and help other children.
Mykolaiv resident Haik Mikaelian also set a world record. He ran on a treadmill for an hour, completing 1,355 full spins around his own axis. He covered 10.35 kilometers without stopping the spins.
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4 of November 2026
