The first games took place in 2010 in the town of Bled (Slovenia) and were quite successful for the athlete – two silver prizes in the 30 km and relay races. Due to financial issues, Ukrainian national team did not go to the second games, which took place in Canada. But this year’s third games in Innsbruck, which gathered 3,000 athletes from all over the world, brought Oksana Zalisko two gold medals, as well as silver and bronze ones.
Cross country skiing, ski orienteering and biathlon competitions were held in Seefeld, located near Innsbruck. Other competitions and opening-closing ceremonies took place in Innsbruck. Skeleton and Bobsleigh World Cup were also held there.
– In Seefeld there was a lot of snow and a lot of ski slopes, on which tourists and everyone who wanted skied. No wonder, Austrians and Germans, Swedes, Norwegians and Finns, men and women, were better in the competition, says Mz. Zalisko. In Ukraine, I managed to train twice in Stryiskyi Park, on the snowy grass, and to spend several weekends in Sianky. It was good I had arrived two days before the games began and was able to train on Seefeld’s slopes. The routes are difficult – long climbs, steep slopes with turns. The snow was hard, there was ice. All this required good coordination and thought-out skiing. So, on the first day I used the services of servicemen – they helped to choose ski paraffin and ointments. Then I did everything myself. In general, the coaches did not accompany us.
15 km race ended for Oksana Zalisko’s in a victory. The next day, at the distance of 5 km, she was the second, the first was Norwegian, as she had more strength because did not participate in the competition on the first day. 10 km race again brought gold to our athlete. And European team, which, in addition to Zalisko, included two Germans and a Norwegian, received bronze at the relay race. The team of Ukrainian skiers has 9 awards, 4 of which belong to Oksana Zalisko.
The young academic is inspired by her students who take part in the international competitions. Colleagues from the Department of Physical Education provided Oksana Zalisko with moral support and the university leadership – with financial.
