The warming sleeve – its importance is not obvious to everyone. Some say that its effect is comparable to that of … an old sweater! You can find sleeves for basketball, voleyball and other sports in shops, armwrestling sleeves made of synthetics are sold during events. But there are also people who make these themselves. Olesya Romanenko is one of a few girls in the whole world, who make sleeves out of real wool.

Olesya, how did you start making sleeves?

I’m the only girl in my family who does needlework. I learned from books. I usually do small things for myself and my family, recently I’ve made my sister a hat.

Why armwrestling sleeves?

I used to train armwrestling myself, and I’ve realized that in this sport we need a lot of warmth and massages. I started out making sleeves for myself, trying to make a sleeve that wouldn’t stretch out with time. I worked out a way to do it, but it took me a long time, the first sleeve was a really great piece of work (laughs). I admit it freely - I can only make really beautiful sleeves for real contestants.

How much time does it take to make one sleeve?

That’s a professional secret, but I’ll tell you, because of Artur’s charm: about five hours, no breaks … for food (laughs).

Which armwrestling stars wear your sleeves?

Cyplenkow, Semerenko, Zoloyev, Akperow, Miromanowa, Kowalchuk, Krikulin, and many others. I’ve made one for Chaffee, but I haven’t given it to him yet. I can’t name everyone here, I hope they’ll understand.

Do you get a lot of requests?

I get enough –some people buy them, some swap them for something else, some I just give as presents. If you’re asking about money – I don’t make a lot. I sell with minimum charge, and buy quality materials. Knitting is a hobby, something to occupy the soul. It’s a great pleasure to see a fighters wearing one of my sleeves. Sometimes they don’t even know that I’ve made those sleeves, because at competitions I often appear as an organizer, not a seller. I always smile when I see someone wearing my sleeves. My main problem is that after I’ve made a batch of sleeves, I look at the poor cold freezing contestants and I start making them presents. That’s what happened with half my sleeves on Nemiroff.

On Nemiroff you are …

A part of a huge team. As Igor Mazurenko puts it – I’m the voice of champions. I call out names on the PA, I do protocols, I mind the tables, work with the referees.

Are the sleeves sports ammunition, or a fashionable accessory?

In the case of my sleeves, they’re definitely ammunition. That’s why I look for bright, pleasant colors, to make them look modern.

What are the advantages for a contestant with your sleeve, compared to one that doesn’t have one?

Wool positively affects muscles, joints and ligaments. That’s common knowledge.

Specially designed weave allows for circulation of temperature and delicately massages the area without abrading the skin. This is vital in many sports, for example – weightlifters also use my sleeves and knee protectors.

I’ve heard that a sleeve can be personalized. Does that complicate your job?

First I make the basic product, then I stitch in the extra designs. It just takes more time to make. Each such sleeve is one of a kind, unique. And people like being unique.

Do you plan to modernize your art in any way, with time?

I create something new all the time. For girls, I use softer wool and different ornamentation, for the guys – more durable weave and constructions.

The strangest request you had in your career?

A sleeve for Denis Cyplenkov. Why? When I made the bicep part, I took measurement on my own waist. When I gave it to him on A-1, he said “It’s a little too big”. To which Igor Mazurenko replied “it was made with a little reserve”.

What parameters do you require to make a sleeve?

Bicep girth, forearm girth, arm length from wrist to arm crook.

Do you have any competition?

Yeah, my products are even being knocked off! (laughs). I can spot a knock off from a mile away – since January 2014 I’ve started to put a logo on the sleeves, wrist – height. Sometimes a contestant wants a sleeve, but the price is too steep, so they ask their grandmother or mother to make them one, just like in the pictures. That’s mostly students and juniors. This doesn’t really bother me. It’s just that the knock offs use my designs…

What’s your opinion on the ready-made shop sleeves, sold at tournaments?

Plush and velvet – those materials don’t retain warmth like wool. They stretch and go shapeless. They are an alternative for those allergic to wool, but I can also make an acrylic, hypo-allergic sleeve. Our regional federation used to make velour sleeves, cheaper than mine, but of quality much too low compared with their price.

Handcrafting is complex and subtle, but knitting is only a hobby for you. What do you do professionally?

I’m a saleswoman, an organizer at a sports center. But my most important job is armwrestling.

Vadim Akperov:

A sleeve keeps muscles warm after a training. It reduces the risk of injury during a fight. Some contestants use cut-off sweater sleeves, but I don’t. In our sport a sleeve is part of the outfit, and I try to dress well. Olesya’s sleeves are a trademark, the one I have now is hers. It wasn’t made for me, but for a student of mine. He gave it to his friend, a juniors’ champion, and that friend in turn gave it to me. Then I’ve met Olesya at the Ural Cup in Yekaterinburg. I asked her to make me a sleeve. She agreed, but a dog ate the almost-ready sleeve. So I still have this old one, but I hope I’ll meet Olesya soon and maybe get a new one.

Аrtur Grigorian © Grа, Photos from Olesya’s and Mark Kazus’ private collection