Oksana Slivenko on CrossFit

Oksana Slivenko gave an interview about how she found CrossFit and how it helped her find herself.

After the injury that prevented her from competing in London she was planning to retire from weightlifting, but later recovered, won the Universiade and is now on track for the world championship in October.

She is on the board of trustees of a non-profit organization called “Geraklion” which goal it is to popularize innovative training systems. They also have a CrossFit affiliate (CF Geraklion) where she trains, helps organizing things and coaches.

Right now she is in Chekhov preparing for the world championships.

I train in the morning and in the afternoon I go to the “Geraklion” where I do the organizational work for the development of CrossFit. At the same time I spend training in the sport.

Her aim for the worlds is gold of course, or at least a top 3 finisher.

115 kg in the snatch and 145 in the clean and jerk, plus or minus 2 kg.

How did she discover CrossFit?

It happened by accident. After the Olympics, after all the days leading up to it and the resulting trauma in my life there was this moment when I began to seriously ponder ending my career .

And just at this difficult time in my life I find out about CrossFit.

Began to learn more about it and was very surprised. Before, I always thought that I was the “black sheep”. Girls with my physique are very rarely seen on the streets, I always felt uncomfortable.

And once came to CrossFit, I learned that there are a lot of like-minded women who are engaged in strength training.

CrossFit actually extended my career.

Further she explained that she really likes helping people getting better

Actually, CrossFit is not inferior to Olympic sports, you have to be very serious to succeed, it is not “fun starts.”

As a child she was engaged not only in weight training, but also rhythmic gymnastics, synchronized swimming, even karate. How did this help her – in weightlifting and CrossFit?

I think definitely helped. Plus, of course, I have some natural qualities. But I am very grateful to my mother that she took me to rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 4.

Strength Sports – it’s mine. I learned valuable lessons. I feel very confident. Any hard work is not a problem for me. I am not afraid to go out at night. I do not feel like a fragile, defenseless girl, who can not stand up for herself.

There are no restrictions on age and sex.

This is a healthy move. We need to change the stereotypes. In America, this has long been coming. They are moving away from the stereotype that a girl must be weak or thin. The women there are on the same level with men.

In addition to Weightlifting and CrossFit she is also a student.

I study at MSU. I am getting a second degree, which is in International Management.

At the moment, I already have a pedagogical education, I am a certified sports teacher. So I can coach  people I can. The managerial profession will help me to organize the club “Geraklion”.