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Olga

I’m a Ukrainian foil fencer. I was born in Simferopol, Crimea, and when I was one year old, my family moved to Kyiv, where I grew up. My childhood was filled with love and care, and since both of my parents were athletes in the past, sport has always been a natural part of my life.

In 2012, together with my sister Sveta — we are only two minutes apart — we watched the bronze medal match between Olga Kharlan and Mariel Zagunis. That moment changed everything. Inspired by the passion and power of that duel, my sister wanted to try fencing. A year later, in 2013, we both took it up.
Since childhood, I have traveled a lot. Meeting new people and exploring new places has always brought me joy. Packing bags, early mornings, airports — that became a lifestyle. I used to compete abroad 20 to 25 times a year, and I loved it. But even more — I loved coming back home.
That changed in 2022 when war came to Ukraine. Traveling wasn’t about discovery anymore — it became about safety and survival. For the first time, I didn’t know whether I would be able to come back.
And yet, fencing helped me adapt. For me, it is more than just a sport, a job, or a hobby. It’s a space where I feel most like myself. It’s a place where I can create, connect, dream, and achieve. It has given me character, resilience, true friends, and a sense of purpose — it shaped me into the person I am today.

Because of the war, I have been living in Paris for the last two and a half years. Moving to Paris changed everything. I was 19 — the age when childhood suddenly ends. I had to grow up quickly and deal with documents, taxes, health insurance, and housing.
The hardest part was accepting the thought that maybe I would never see my home again. I missed my parents, my friends, and everything familiar. But I made the choice to stay — to keep fencing, to keep chasing my goals. I’m grateful I’ve always had my sisters, Tania and Sveta, with me. Together, the world feels a little less heavy.
Living abroad taught me that we can adapt to anything. Some things you once thought essential you learn to live without. I’ve gained insight into different cultures, rhythms of life, and opportunities that I never imagined.

The world is open — to those brave enough to open their hearts to it. In that openness lives great strength, and with it — the power to turn dreams into possibility.