Hello everyone, I’m Viktor Solianov. My main specialty is the 110-meter hurdles. I am a member of the Ukrainian national team, with multiple national championships, and two appearances in the European Championships.
MASTER OF MY FATE
In the last few years of my life, the idea of trying to train with world-class athletes was always at the back of my head. However, various circumstances constantly prevented me from taking a serious step in that direction. But after another season with which I was not satisfied, I knew it was time to take that step.
My biggest insecurity was the thought that my results would not be enough for them to agree to join a world-class group. Therefore, I decided to ask my teammate, who has been training abroad for a long time and has certain connections, to help find the right fit. I knew she could help me find a solution to this problem.
PACKING MY BAGS FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD
A week passed and I didn’t hear from her, so I came to terms with having to continue training according to the same old scheme. But suddenly, Hassane got in touch with me, and then coach Jani. I had a phone call with them. I could immediately tell they were passionate about athletics and wanted to build a relationship. It really appealed to me and was a huge selling point.
Without thinking much longer, I asked for the main details and started dealing with the logistics of the trip.
Even before my arrival, Alessandro and Jani were constantly in contact with me. They quickly assisted in solving logistical issues and gave helpful advice on what to do in certain situations. With how caring and helpful they were, I just knew I wanted to be a part of this team.
In two weeks, we fixed all logistics and set off.
EXPERIENCING LIFE OUTSIDE THE TRACK
Upon arriving here, I was shocked by everything around me, Spain turned out to be the same as it was in movies. For the first couple of weeks, my jaw continued to drop because of the beauty around me.
Additionally, the Scirocco team and local athletes did everything to show me the local colors and introduce me to the culture. For that, I am very grateful to them. My stay here hasn’t been just limited to training. I have seen and continue to see how people live in this beautiful Mediterranean region.
INDIVIDUALIZED SOLUTIONS
During the first training sessions with Jani and Alessandro, I realized that I had a lot to work on, and for a huge part of the sessions I had to experiment with the new sensations. I was happy though, because that’s what I came here for.
Another great thing is that there is an individual approach during training. The exercises I do are selected specifically to solve my technical issues. Also, they pay a lot of attention to me so that I execute the different exercises correctly. If ever I have trouble with an exercise they treat it with understanding and find solutions to help me get it for later.
TRUSTING THE PROCESS
During the first weeks, everything seemed so new to me, and I thought it could take months to master, and this slightly shook my confidence. However, along with the coaches, Elisa and Hassane constantly supported me morally. They helped me understand that it is normal to experience struggle and that everyone goes through these difficulties in the beginning.
Fortunately, they were right. In my third week here, I began to feel more confident when facing new exercises. In fact, I was able to execute some exercises better than my teammates.
So now I continue to come to every session with excitement in my eyes, with the goal to become better at every moment.
To end this, I want to add: if you, like me, want to radically change your approach to training and turn your vision of sports by 180 degrees, do not hesitate.
See you soon,
Viktor
