On the night of March 31, Vitaly Merinov, a four-time world champion in kickboxing and a former deputy of the city council of Ivano-Frankivsk, died in the hospital from injuries sustained in a battle with Russian invaders. Recently, the 32-year-old athlete fought with his brothers in the Donbass.
Vitaly has been involved in sports since childhood, at the age of 10 he joined the boxing section. After school he entered the Ivano-Frankivsk College of Physical Education. And in 2007, the honored coach of Ukraine Vladimir Vostretsov invited Merinov to take part in the kickboxing competitions held in Yalta. An experienced mentor saw potential in a tall and purposeful guy and was not mistaken.
Vitaly immediately became the winner of the Crimean tournament, after which he built a successful career in kickboxing, becoming the world champion four times. However, in boxing he has something to be proud of. He became the best in Ukraine and reached the final of the European Championship, receiving the title of master of sports.
Also on account of Merinov is the title of champion of Ukraine in universal combat and victory in the hand-to-hand combat tournament for the Cup of the President of Ukraine. And besides this, he managed to play rugby for the local team. “The one who knows how to rise wins,” the athlete believed.
In 2010, Vitaliy began working as a boxing coach at the FSO “Ukraine” sports school for boxing, and two years later he opened the “SPZ” sports club, whose pupils became world and European champions in kickboxing and winners of Ukrainian boxing championships.
In parallel with performances and training, Marinov received higher education – first he graduated from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports of the National University of Prykarpattia named after Vasyl Stefanyk, and then the Department of Management and Business Administration, having received a master’s degree.
Merinov had many ideas for the development of sports in Ivano-Frankivsk, and in 2018 he was elected president of the city’s boxing federation.
“I wanted to create good conditions for boxing and support young athletes. If we manage to implement what we have planned, then a real boxing academy will appear in Ivano-Frankivsk, where young athletes will undergo professional training in good conditions and under the guidance of experienced specialists,” said about his plans the young president.
But Vitaly’s horizons were not limited to sports only. He was an active public figure, a member of the executive committee of the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council. And also a deputy of the local city council in the last convocation.
And he didn’t just sit out his pants in the session hall, but really did a lot for Frankivsk, in particular, he fought against illegal logging. Initiated monthly programs for the best athletes in the city.
“There are only a few dozen people in Frankivsk who really care, constantly working and working, helping to develop the community, in particular children, and supporting people who find themselves in difficulty. Vitaliy was one of them. He did a lot for the city, and even more could have done after the victory. But the Russians killed him,” Yuriy Chaban, representative of the Ukrainian Galician Party, reacted to the tragedy.
Back in 2011, Merinov founded the joint efforts public organization, which built children’s and sports grounds, football and volleyball fields and helped those who needed it whenever possible. Among the organization’s projects was the “Moon of Mercy” for children from orphanages and boarding schools, timed to coincide with St. Nicholas Day.
And the war against Russia did not begin for Merinov in 2022. Back in 2014, he took part in the ATO as part of the National Guard. And on the very first day of the full-scale invasion, on February 24, he again took up arms and went to fight against the invaders as part of the NGU.
During one of the battles near Maryinka, Vitaly received a gunshot shrapnel wound in the leg. Under enemy fire, he had to walk another kilometer to the car that took them to the hospital.
But only Merinov managed to recover and immediately returned to the front to defend Ukraine. No wonder he was the owner of the highest special forces award – the maroon beret.
“You understand that at any moment you can be killed, but you also understand that there are other values that are worth fighting for,” Vitaly said in an interview.
“If there was a guerrilla war in Ukraine, Vitaliy Merinov would be the conductor of the new time, like Bandera and Konovalets. Leader. Guide. Patriot,” Volodymyr Oleinik wrote about the warrior.
Vitaly called the most terrible thing in the war not a shootout with Muscovites, they say, they themselves are afraid of this, but continuous enemy shelling and mortars.
“Especially when they shoot after a while, and the mines fall 5 meters from your trench. At that moment, you ask God not to fly into the trench, because you are definitely flying to heaven,” Vitaly said on social networks.
In one of his latest videos, Vitaly said that Muscovites have been entertaining them since the morning. He wrote to his friends that, they say, the invaders turn on their music every morning, offering them three meals a day and surrender … “Whoever wants to go to a disco, come to the Ukrainian Donbass,” Merinov joked.
“The invaders are not able to destroy our position with tanks and artillery, so they begin to use home-made kamikaze drones. But God is on our side, so two items that flew into our dugout did not explode,” Merinov said five days before his death.
However, another attack by Russian occupiers turned out to be more targeted. The athlete was injured. And this time his injuries were too serious. Doctors in the Dnieper fought for the guy for several days, his heart stopped and his blood vessels did not bake, he had to be put into an artificial coma. But at three nights in the hospital, Vitaly did not survive. On the night of March 31, Merinov died.
“Doctors in Mechnikov are gods. But they are not omnipotent. With such injuries, it was hard to get him out of that world. But they fought … Thanks to everyone who tried to save his life,” said Igor Fris, deputy of the Verkhovna Rada.
“An incredibly talented guy. For some reason, there was confidence that his balls would not be taken, because God had prepared him for the development of our state. It was an honor to be his teacher. Although there were often cases when he taught all of us,” Vitaly wrote in memory Julia Bilyak.
At home, Vitaly left behind his wife Vita and a two-year-old daughter whom he loved.
“It is impossible to find words of reassurance when the irreparable happens – the death of a loved one. You have always been a patriot, strong-willed and super-strong. You won and inspired many with your achievements and thirst for life! You loved your daughter and did not part with her at the slightest opportunity!”, – reacted a relative of the deceased hero Zoryanov Merinova.
Public activist and member of the NGO “Joint efforts” Mykola Tsivko said that Vitaliy dreamed of becoming the mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk, and also introduced him to his future wife.
“A sincere, positive, fair mentor who gave all his strength for the benefit of others, easily united people, changed our city all his life. He had a dream of becoming a mayor. But even people in such positions, having all the tools at hand, they don’t have time to do even half of what this man did in his short but eventful life,” said Nikolai.
“You should be at my wedding, and Vika and I should thank you for introducing us. Thank you. Vitalik, how much more should be … Ehh,” Nikolai concluded bitterly.
“If you don’t dream, then, perhaps, you shouldn’t go into the trenches,” Vitaly said already during a full-scale war. And he had many plans and ideas after the victory, there was a family that he cherished and could not do otherwise: “If you do not go to defend your country, then this enemy may come to your city and offend your daughter, wife, mother.” ..”
Earlier, GLOBAL HAPPENINGS reported that the sambist and captain of the NSU, who fired Bucha, Irpin and defended Severodonetsk, died after a tank shell arrived near Avdiivka.
Source: Obozrevatel
Brayden White, a veteran sports writer at Global Happening, brings his wealth of knowledge and expertise to the sports section. With over a decade of experience, he is committed to delivering high-quality coverage of the latest games and events.
