A New Encounter in Fencing: Alina Komashchuk and Young Talents

Olympic champion in fencing Alina Komashchuk met with young fencers from KDYUSH №13 as part of the NOC of Ukraine project #OlympicLab, focusing on "Olympic and universal values." This was reported by the NOC of Ukraine’s press service in the Odesa region.
These meetings between top fencers from Odesa and young athletes have become a great tradition. In the framework of #OlympicLab, similar events have previously featured Elena Kravatska and Andriy Yahodka. For Alina, this was her first such meeting, but due to a busy competition schedule, she could only come to Odesa for a week before the upcoming competition block, starting with the Ukrainian Cup in Kyiv next week. The young fencers are also preparing for the cadet European cycle tournament, which will take place in Istanbul on October 11-12. The meeting was held in the sports hall of KDYUSH №13 (75 Novoselskogo St, Odesa).
At the beginning of the event, Alina, who achieved her highest results in individual competitions at the World and European Championships this year by winning bronze and silver, shared key moments from her career and answered numerous questions from the young athletes. Also participating was Alina's personal coach, Oleksandr Vasyutin, a distinguished coach of Ukraine and mentor at KDYUSH №13.

Champion's Advice

To succeed, we need rest, proper nutrition, and rehabilitation. These are all crucial components. I wasn't always so professional and aware of these aspects, but now I understand that neglecting them cost me important moments that could have led to even better results.
You must start behaving like professional athletes and consider all the factors I mentioned in your preparation.
I remember how many times I lost - entering the top 4, the top 8?! I have defeated strong opponents, but in the final moments, I couldn't win because I didn't believe I could.
You must believe! At the World Championship, I faced Sara Balzer, whom I had never beaten before, neither in team nor individual competitions. I simply told myself: "I will not give up the medal!" And I focused solely on fencing. I didn't allow myself to think about losing, and that worked.
During the event, young sabre fencers not only received the champion's advice but also gained motivation from Alina's achievements – her medals from the World and European Championships.

At the end of the event, the athletes received gifts from the NOC of Ukraine in the Odesa region, after which they eagerly sought Alina's autographs. The champion signed on t-shirts, gloves, and, of course, on their weapons.