Liza Melnychuk
I’m Yelyzaveta Melnychuk. I was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine.
My Story
I have been fencing for 11 years, beginning at the age of 10 at the Vershyna Fencing Club. My skills developed through countless practices, training camps, and competitions. My first competition was not successful, but I did not give up. Over time, I won multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals at national-level events.
In 2014, I competed in my first international tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, where I placed 5th in my age group. That experience was an important milestone in my career. I went on to become a national champion in both the cadet and junior categories, continuing to train and compete in Ukraine throughout my youth.
Everything changed when Russia invaded Ukraine. My parents and sister have remained in Ukraine throughout this difficult time. On the morning of the invasion, I was preparing for the World Cup in Athens with my competitive fencing team. I woke up to frightening sounds and chaos. I had to make a quick decision: return to Kyiv to be with my family or continue with my team to the Olympic Training Center. I made the difficult choice to go with my team.
From there, I traveled to Poland, where I stayed for two months. We lived in a refugee camp, surviving on very little food—often just one sandwich per day. Without parents or coaches, we were largely on our own. Training was difficult; I only managed to practice three times a week at a local club. Despite the challenges, we kept searching for a better place to live and train.
While in Poland, I received an offer from the Dynamo Fencing Center in Boston to continue both my education and training in the United States. I enrolled at MassBay Community College and began training under Alex Kushkov at Dynamo Fencing Center in Newton, MA.
The first year in the U.S. was extremely challenging. I am very grateful to the American family who hosted me, but I had to adjust to a new culture, learn a new language, and adapt to a demanding college environment. Training was difficult at first, but Dynamo proved to be a strong, supportive, and welcoming community. I received encouragement, built friendships, and continued to grow as an athlete.
With Dynamo’s help, I competed in World Cups and began advancing out of pools. In U.S. national events, I achieved two Top 16 finishes in Division 1 this season. My results continue to improve step by step.
However, the funds raised by Dynamo at the beginning of the war have nearly run out. I have learned how to cover rent, utilities, and food on my own, but I still need financial support to pay for community college and to travel for national and international competitions.
My dream is to qualify for the Olympics and represent Ukraine on the world stage. I am determined to work hard and do everything necessary to achieve it.
