I started to do race walking because I had a chance to try myself in the competition, that is, I was simply offered to perform, without preparation. I snapped at the chance, I really liked it, and I began to continue to train in this area.

My first achievement was that I won the adult championship of Estonia, then I was able to break through to the European Championship, which was held in Hungary. There, of course, I had a bitter experience, because when you take on such big competitions, you don't know how to behave. To make matters worse, it was very hot there and I passed out and lost consciousness. I was very upset, because I prepared so hard and felt I could complete well against the people who took the first 3 places. Every day after that I cried because I realized that I had passed up such a chance. And it is very sad to realize that you prepared, tried and could, but everything turned out so sadly.

However, that situation did not stop me, because the Olympic Festival in Azerbaijan was approaching, for which I began to prepare. And it so happened that I took first place there, which I did not expect at all. So after such a fall, I had such a rise. Also, In the same year, I finished fourth at the European Cup, then achieved a prize at the Olympic Festival - in general, 2019 was a busy and very successful year for me. I also went to the European Cup among athletics clubs, where I came second.

After all these victories, I was more motivated and continued to practice, however, 2020 met me with an injury that generally unsettled me, because it's hard both mentally and physically when you want to practice, but you can't. This is due to the fact that doctors cannot tell you exactly what you can and cannot do, and you are in such uncertainty which has a very detrimental effect on ordinary life. I know for sure that when things don't go well in my sport, then my studies suffer, because I'm used to combining these two things.

And when I realized that I couldn't do my sport, I started going to the pool, looking for other methods so that I feel good and can stay in shape. Of course, it was hard, because there is no coach in the pool and I had to come up with my own workouts, but I coped.

I had this injury for a long time, and the European Athletics Championship in Tallinn was approaching. And everyone hoped that I would perform there, they even made an advertisement, but in the end, nothing happened because of the same injury. But this did not upset me either, I decided to go to work there as a volunteer in order to at least participate in this event. And in the same year in2021, there was supposed to be the World Championships in Athletics, but I thought that I had no chance to get there, since I had not been engaged for a whole year. Despite this, I had my post-injury rehabilitation and somehow, surprisingly, things began to change for the better. And it so happened that I was able to qualify and get to the World Championship in Kenya. For me, these international competitions were very important, because there I understood why I was working on all this, because of my motivation to achieve better results. Surprisingly, everything in Kenya went perfectly for me right away - it was probably enthusiasm. I performed and came 13th without preparation. I really liked the World Championships, I got a lot of motivation from them, because I could see how people strive for something and do it, giving of themselves.

All sports players have highs and lows, and injuries, it always happens that during the competition someone can fall, break a leg, or someone could run too fast and strain a muscle, for sports you must be well-conditioned, because anything can happen. You have to get used to it and be able to deal with it. Sport - it's no easy thing.

If something doesn't work out for me or at some point it's very difficult for me and I don't know what to do, I pull myself together and say to myself, Katya, it's okay, be patient, you have to be positive and everything will be fine.

From my experience, I realized that you cannot give up and you must always believe in yourself, be kind to other people and then life will always welcome you. And you have to strain after something, and if you have a specific goal, you need to achieve it. The point of life for me is not some material things, but satisfaction with the work done and achievements, gaining experience. What matters is not what material things you own, but what kind of people surround you, as well as your perspective on life.


Katya Mirotvortseva - 12th grade student, Estonian and European champion in race walking and long distance jumping