Ukrainian strongman on a talent search
Virastiuk has held around 20 competitions in Ukraine
Starting in 2003, Vasyl Virastiuk, the Ukrainian holder of the 2004 World’s Strongest Man title, has been organizing strongman competitions in Vinnytsia, Donetsk, Lviv, Uzhhorod, Kharkiv, and Odesa. Recently another tournament ended in Zhytomyr. “We offer very good training opportunities. The main thing is to keep polishing your skills,” Virastiuk said.
In Zhytomyr, the strongman tournament consisted of six events that have become traditional throughout the world, including the Rolling Thunder Dead Lift (280-300 kg) and Timber Walk (285 kg, 40 meters). In between the events the audience was amazed by the performance of a young strongwoman from Kryvyi Rih named Varvara Akulova and her family, particularly Varvara’s unforgettable numbers in which she demonstrated clearly male physical strength.
Kostiantyn Ilyin from Chernivtsi won the Strongest Man’s title, followed by Mykhailo Melnyk, son of the well-known athlete Mykola Melnyk from Makiivka. Vitalii Herasymov from Kharkiv placed third.
“These competitions have their own national coloration,” Virastiuk explained, “because wherever we go, we adjust our events to local tradition. For example, in the Carpathian Mountains we practice Hutsul Stones.” He says that strongman competitions are quickly gaining momentum in Ukraine. “People are taking up this kind of sport after having practiced something similar. Our physical pressure is quite heavy, so athletes who join us after swimming, powerlifting, or wrestling sometimes buckle under the strain.”
Virastiuk says that one of the team membership criteria is the athlete’s appearance: you have to look like a strongman. Of course, physical capacity is the key factor during a competition. If a rookie doesn’t measure up, he is politely asked to quit. You can only master the difficult strongman sport by showing perseverance and patience.
“Those are the main criteria in this sport. While struggling to do an event, you may have to step over the pain threshold and hang on for another five or ten minutes in order to win. It’s very important to set a goal and keep moving toward it, no matter what,” said Ukraine’s top strongman.
Like any other sport, strongman competitions demand sacrifices. Athletes must ensure that these sacrifices do not have an adverse effect on their health.
Vasyl VIRASTIUK (b. April 22, 1974), holder of the surviving Soviet title “Merited Master of Sport of Ukraine” in the strongman event. Titles: The Strongest Man of Ukraine, 2004 World’s Strongest Man. Member of Ukraine’s national strongman team that won the title World’s Strongest Nation.
