Oksana Dobrovolskaja / V. Dranginis / LPAK photo
At the beginning of September, during the Paralympic Games held in Paris, Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) graduate Oksana Dobrovolskaja represented Lithuania. For the 28-year-old discus thrower, who has a visual impairment, this was her second Paralympic Games. Four years ago, in the Tokyo Games, she finished 8th, but this year she proudly secured 5th place. Currently, Oksana is resting, but in a month, she will begin her new season and prepare seriously for the next Games – she hopes to win a medal in four years.
Oksana Dobrovolskaja shares that her path to sports was not simple. Until the 10th grade, she studied in a regular school and, due to her visual impairment, was exempt from physical education classes, which made sports seem unreachable. However, when she transferred to the Lithuanian Education Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (LASUC) in Vilnius in the 10th grade, opportunities opened up for her to try all the clubs and activities adapted for visually impaired children. This gave Oksana the chance to dive into the sports world she dreamed of, and she tried various disciplines – swimming, table tennis, goalball, and athletics.
After finishing school, the future Paralympian decided to make a radical change in her life and pursue independence. She chose to move out of her parents’ home in Vilnius, where she had been sheltered and protected but unable to build an independent life, and relocated to Kaunas. For her studies, she selected Vytautas Magnus University, known for being supportive of students with disabilities, and enrolled in the Bachelor’s program in Law and Finance. “Reflecting on those four years of study, I can say that the university is indeed friendly towards those with disabilities – I faced no major obstacles in my learning. The lecturers were very accommodating when I asked to have materials reviewed on the computer or to take exams on the computer. My years at the university went smoothly,” Oksana Dobrovolskaja said about her time at VMU.
Even during her studies, Oksana didn’t give up on sports, although it was more of a leisure activity for her at the time. Professional sports weren’t something she even considered: “At that time, I already thought I had missed all my chances and was too old.” But after finishing her studies, she met a coach who, after assessing her physical abilities, suggested she try discus throwing, believing she had the potential to become a good thrower. As Oksana jokingly recalls, “Since I tend to agree to all sorts of adventures, I accepted this one too.” A few months later, she participated in the Lithuanian Blind and Visually Impaired Athletics Championship and took first place. The next day, she received a call from the Paralympic Committee, offering her the chance to train professionally and prepare for high-level competitions.
Oksana Dobrovolskaja / V. Dranginis / LPAK photo
Planning to continue her law studies and pursue a master’s degree, Oksana Dobrovolskaja made the difficult decision to change all her plans and choose the path of an athlete instead. “This was one of those crucial decisions, a turning point in my life, after which my daily life, my outlook, truly everything changed radically. I withdrew the documents I had already submitted for a master’s degree and began training professionally, preparing for competitions. Two years later, I made it to the Tokyo Paralympic Games,” the athlete shares about her unexpectedly, but incredibly successful journey.
After these Games, where she finished in 8th place, Oksana felt reassured that she had made the right choice: “In the discus throwing event, I felt like a fish in water. I felt so good that I would wish everyone to feel the same after discovering their field.” Following that, she put in long hours of work, which, three years later, led Oksana Dobrovolskaja to the Paris Paralympic Games, where she secured 5th place.
When asked what advice she would give to other students with or without disabilities, Paralympian Oksana Dobrovolskaja encouraged them not to be afraid to try, to dare, to experience “first times,” and to explore different activities: “Because it’s through trying that we can understand what suits us and what we enjoy. Neither age, nor disability, nor gender is a barrier to achieving what we desire. I have proven this through my own example. I had written myself off, thinking I was too old and not talented, and that I wasn’t any sort of ‘natural talent’ – everything I’ve achieved has been through long hours of hard work. Everything is possible when you believe, when you are passionate, and when you have a goal in your heart that you are striving toward.”
Oksana Dobrovolskaja firmly believes that anything is achievable. “My life philosophy is that there are no impossible things, only our limited perception of what is possible. And if you have a goal and take the necessary actions, you don’t even need extra motivation – because you can see the star you’re reaching for. So, that’s what I wish for others, to find their own star, because it’s different for everyone, and not to be afraid to pursue it. Once a person finds the field where they feel their best, fate will help them achieve all their goals,” wishes Paralympian and VMU graduate Oksana Dobrovolskaja.
