Many armwrestling fans, not only in my circle, but all over the world, claim that Oleh Zohk is not a champion, who should be respected or treated as a role model. Whenever I talk to my friends (let’s call them “experts” on armwrestling) they always stick to their opinion. I decided to see what could be the reason for such a negative attitude towards Oleh.

It used to be my weak point, but it has become my strength over time – says Oleh Zohk about his left hand. – My right hand is much weaker, but it’s only a matter of time. I intend to take part in prestigious competitions in a year or two and show technical proficiency for both arms.

According to my friends - “pundits,” Oleh Zohk is ranked high in armwrestling undeservedly. Why? Because Oleh’s hands are out of proportion with his weight class – 75 kg. The size of Zohk’s hands could be compared to hands of heavy weight athletes. Oleh is undefeated in his weight class. According to my friends it is not normal that Oleh has won against Larratt for Devon has an “ordinary” hand, while Oleh’s hand is “out of proportion”.

There is also a darker side of the coin. Zohk has deprived others the chance to take first place in his weight class. No matter how hard they train, they won’t win for Oleh’s “inherent” power always prevails.

Many people come to the conclusion that an “ordinary” athlete does not stand a chance to challenge Zohk, no matter how hard they would train. What does Zohk think about it?

Those who claim so, envy me – says Oleh. - Many of them have never been to a competition hall. They’ve only watched a few video and are convinced it’s that simple. Only those who are seriously engaged in armwrestling understand that the size is not that important here.

The question is: can athletes with hands out of proportion with their weight class be considered talented and winning thanks to their hard work and trainings?

I guess, we can answer this question by comparing Zohk to a German athlete - Schlitte. Like Oleh, Schlitte’s hand is also out of proportion. They are both “non-standard.” Yet, Matthias has not been as successful as Zohk.

Can we conclude that Oleh has earned his position through hard work and because he was motivated enough and strived to be successful?

My left hand has not always been so strong - says Oleg. - Even at the provincial championships, I was not able to get into the top three. Anyone interested can see the list of winners of the European Championships in 2010, when I competed in the senior category 60 kg and was not among top three finishers. From that moment I wanted to be better and I made! All I have achieved is the result of my hard work. This is not a matter of luck.

There are nuances and problems in each sport. In armwrestling, we’re having a problem with doping control tests and refereeing, especially since top “non-standard” athletes appeared among competitors. Just yesterday no one would judge or talk about the “non-standard” athletes. Today people are beginning to talk about them. What will happen tomorrow?

Artur Grigorjan