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5403-Olesia Vladykina photo

Olesia Vladykina

Russia flag
Russian Federation
Swimming
3
2
3

Biography

Impairment information

Type of Impairment
Limb deficiency
Origin of Impairment
Acquired
Classification
S8, SB8, SM8

Further personal information

Residence
Moscow, RUS
Occupation
Athlete
Languages
English, Russian
Higher education
Sport Management - Moscow State University: Russia

Sport specific information

When and where did you begin this sport?
She began swimming seriously at age nine in Moscow, Russia. She had grown up practising the sport, and took it up again two months after the bus crash in which she lost her left arm.
Why this sport?
Before she began training, she studied classical ballet, attended music school and studied English. When she went to the pool, she wanted to become a swimmer right away. As swimming became more important to her, she eventually dropped ballet, then dropped music, and finally dropped English.
Club / Team
Youth of Moscow: Russia
Name of coach
Sergey Zhilkin, RUS, from 2006

International debut

Year
2008
Competing for
Russia
Tournament
Paralympic Games
Location
Beijing, CHN

General interest

Memorable sporting achievement
Winning the 100m breaststroke at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing in a world record time. (Athlete, 05 Sep 2012)
Most influential person in career
Her mother. (Athlete, 05 Sep 2012)
Hero / Idol
US swimmer Michael Phelps, Russian swimmer Alexander Popov. (Athlete, 05 Sep 2012)
Sporting philosophy / motto
"Anything that does not kill us makes us stronger." (Athlete, 05 Sep 2012)
Awards and honours
She holds the title of Honoured Master of Sport in the Russian Federation. (paraswim.ru, 10 Apr 2016)

She received the Order of Honour in recognition of her performance at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. (pravo.gov.ru, 10 Sep 2012)

For her performance at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, she received the Order of Friendship from the president of the Russian Federation. (kremlin.ru, 30 Sep 2009)

In 2008 she received the Comeback in Life Award from the Russian Paralympic Committee. (stadium.ru, 23 Dec 2008)
Other sports
She was a professional able-bodied swimmer for 10 years before her accident. (paralympic.org, 31 Jul 2011)
Ambitions
To work in regional sports, to stay in Russia and help improve the situation for people with an impairment, and to see the world and raise a family. (nasha-molodezh.ru, 25 Mar 2013; ampgirl.ru, 15 Jan 2013; newizv.ru, 17 Sep 2008)
Impairment
At age 20 her left arm was amputated after the bus she was travelling on with a friend in Thailand was involved in an accident. Her friend Aleksandra died in the crash and despite four operations, doctors were unable to save Vladykina's arm. After she won gold at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, she dedicated the victory to her friend. (atu.ru, 09 Nov 2012; sochi2014.com, 20 Mar 2010; newizv.ru, 17 Sep 2008)

Results

Unit Date Rank
Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games (Beijing, China)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB8 Heat 1 1
Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB8 Final Round 1
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM8 Heat 1 1
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM8 Final Round 4
IPC Swimming World Championships Eindhoven 2010 (Eindhoven, Netherlands)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 50 m Freestyle S8 Final Round 3
Women's 50 m Freestyle S8 Heat 2 3
Women's 4x100 m Medley 34pts Final Round 3
Women's 4x100 m Medley 34pts Heat 1 1
Women's 4x100 m Freestyle 34pts Final Round 9999
Women's 4x100 m Freestyle 34pts Heat 2 5
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM8 Final Round 2
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM8 Heat 2 2
Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB8 Heat 2 1
Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB8 Final Round 1
Women's 100 m Freestyle S8 Heat 2 5
London 2012 Paralympic Games (London, Great Britain)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB8 Final Round 2012-09-01 1
Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB8 Heat 2 2012-09-01 1
Women's 50 m Freestyle S8 Final Round 2012-09-02 4
Women's 50 m Freestyle S8 Heat 2 2012-09-02 3
Women's 4x100 m Freestyle 34pts Final Round 2012-09-03 6
Women's 100 m Backstroke S8 Heat 1 2012-09-04 2
Women's 100 m Backstroke S8 Final Round 2012-09-04 3
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM8 Final Round 2012-09-05 2
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM8 Heat 1 2012-09-05 1
Women's 100 m Freestyle S8 Heat 3 2012-09-06 2
Women's 100 m Freestyle S8 Final Round 2012-09-06 5
Women's 4x100 m Medley 34pts Final Round 2012-09-07 4
2013 IPC Swimming World Championships (Montreal, Canada)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM8 Final 1 2013-08-13 3
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM8 Heat 1 2013-08-13 6
Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB8 Final 1 2013-08-15 1
Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB8 Heat 2 2013-08-15 3
Women's 4x100 m Freestyle 34pts Final 1 2013-08-15 4
Women's 4x100 m Medley 34pts Final 1 2013-08-18 2
Women's 50 m Freestyle S8 Final 1 2013-08-18 4
2015 IPC Swimming World Championships (Glasgow, Great Britain)
Event Medal Unit Date Rank
Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB8 Heat 2 2015-07-14 6
Women's 100 m Breaststroke SB8 Final 1 2015-07-14 1
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM8 Heat 1 2015-07-15 3
Women's 200 m Individual Medley SM8 Final 1 2015-07-15 2
Women's 100 m Backstroke S8 Heat 1 2015-07-18 3
Women's 100 m Backstroke S8 Final 1 2015-07-18 3
Women's 50 m Freestyle S8 Final 1 2015-07-19 3
Women's 50 m Freestyle S8 Heat 2 2015-07-19 2
Women's 4x100 m Medley 34pts Final 1 2015-07-19 3