Mariya Krestyanska: I don’t regret anything
Never give up. This is the motto of Ukrainian swimmer Mariya Krestyanska, who, on August 8, was to be the first Ukrainian to swim across the English Channel. Her attempt failed due to unfavourable conditions. She fought bravely and did not give up, went out of the water to the repeated team recommendations. GUMOTEX wants to continue to support her.
Even an outdoor swimmer can get sea sickness
“It was an incredible swim. I tried my best. I felt enormous strain – not only physical (water is icy, reaching only 13-16 degrees), but above all mental. The whole time, I had to deal with doubts if I could really do it,” describes her great day Mariya in an exclusive interview for GUMOTEX. For an idea of what it looked like, check out the video from the crossing on Mariya’s Facebook profile.
“I believe I could do it, but besides everything I got a sea sickness 5 minutes before the start of the crossing and I was sick all day during the swim. Because of this, I was unable to get the energy I needed so much. I guess it just wasn’t going to be this time.“
Risking pays off, but not at any cost
“About five kilometres off the coast my team urged me to get out of the water. They suspected I had hypothermia. I didn’t want to give up and I was discussing it with the coach for a while. France was close – I could see the clear outlines of cliffs in front of me! However, the coach has the last word on board, so I obeyed him eventually. His suspicion was justified, and I don’t remember the first hour on the boat,” says Mariya.
Failure or life lesson?
“I don’t consider it a failure, but a great life lesson. Whatever the challenge, health is always a priority for me. I am extremely grateful to my team that they recognized in time that something was wrong with me and that they saved my life.” On the same day, one swimmer did not survive the crossing of the English Channel. They pulled him out of the water unconscious and he died on his way to the hospital.
“It’s not the end of my story, it’s just the beginning,” says Mariya optimistically. “Thank you for being with me and for supporting me,” adds in an interview for GUMOTEX. “Long trainings in icy water are an incredible lesson for both my body and my mind. If I hadn’t had SEAWAVE kayak alongside the whole time, it would have been much harder.”
We support Mariya so much and we believe she can do it next time! Follow Mariya’s profile and you will not miss any news.
Photo: Mariya Krestyanska
Text: Barbora Robková
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