Kostevych's international debut came in 2001 at the World Cup in Milan, Italy. She has since achieved numerous accolades. Her most memorable achievements include winning gold in the 10m air pistol at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and securing two bronze medals at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In 2018, she won the title in the 25m pistol at the World Championships in Changwon, South Korea.

Influences and Inspirations

Kostevych credits her coach, Igor Cheredinov, as the most influential person in her career. She also looks up to Georgian shooter Nino Salukvadze and Bulgarian shooter Maria Grozdeva as her idols. Her sporting philosophy is simple yet powerful: "Never give up."

Recognition and Awards

Throughout her career, Kostevych has received numerous awards and honours. She was a flag bearer for Ukraine at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo alongside fencer Bogdan Nikishin. In 2019, she became an Honorary Citizen of Chernihiv and received the Medal for Labour and Valour for her performance at the European Games in Minsk.

She was named the Best Female Athlete of 2018 by the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine and was among the six best Ukrainian athletes of that year at the Sports Constellation annual award ceremony. Kostevych has also received multiple Orders for Merits and Orders of Princess Olga from Ukraine.

Administrative Roles

In addition to her sporting achievements, Kostevych has taken on administrative roles. In September 2018, she was appointed to the athletes' committee of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). She also serves on similar committees with the European Shooting Confederation and the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.

Personal Life

Kostevych resides in Chernihiv with her husband Igor and daughter Sofia, born in 2017. She speaks English, German, Russian, and Ukrainian. Outside of shooting, she enjoys nutrition as a hobby.

Education

Kostevych holds a degree in Sport Studies from Chernihiv Polytechnic National University. She further pursued postgraduate studies in economics at Kyiv National University of Technology and Design.

Olena Kostevych's journey from a young girl encouraged by her mother to visit a shooting range to becoming an internationally recognised athlete is inspiring. Her dedication to both her sport and administrative roles showcases her commitment to advancing shooting sports globally.