My name is Olga Liashchuk. I am a Ukrainian professional strongwoman, a three-time Arnold Strongwoman Classic champion, and a former World’s Strongest Woman. I have spent my life overcoming extraordinary physical challenges, but today I face something far more frightening than any competition: the possibility of being deported by ICE to war-torn Ukraine and separated from my American husband. If I am deported, it is unlikely that I will able to return to the U.S. to defend my Arnold title in 2027.

You may have noticed my absence from the 2026 Rogue Invitational, the most prestigious competition for strongwomen. This is because I was told by ICE that if I departed the U.S. to go compete in Scotland, I would not be allowed to reenter the country, separating me from my American husband. I have drained my competition winnings in legal battles and paperwork fees trying to immigrate "the right way" to the U.S. ICE has prevented me from competing at the height of my strongwoman career and they now threaten to destroy my career with deportation, separate me from my husband, and force me to return to war-torn Ukraine. I am in urgent need of financial assistance to support my legal battle to stay in the U.S.

Escaping Ukraine With One Suitcase

In late February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, my life changed forever.

I was living in Kyiv and preparing to travel to the United States to compete in the 2022 Arnold Strongwoman Classic, a prestigious international competition I had already won twice. Suddenly, instead of concentrating on training, I was trying to escape a country under attack.

I left Kyiv with one suitcase, traveling by bus and train before finally reaching Amsterdam, where I boarded a flight to the United States. I arrived in America in March 2022, determined to compete but uncertain about everything else. I did not know whether I would ever be able to return home, what would happen to my family, or what future awaited my country.

My mother and sister remain in Donetsk, my birthplace, which is under Russian occupation. Being separated from them and worrying constantly about their safety has been one of the most painful experiences of my life. Every day, I see reports of Russian missile and drone attacks killing Ukrainian men, women, and children in Kyiv and throughout Ukraine. These are not distant events to me. They are happening in the country I love, in places I once called home.

Although I found safety in America, the war has never stopped affecting my life.

Finding Strength Through Competition

Despite the turmoil, I continued pursuing my athletic career, proudly representing Ukraine on the international stage.

I won the title of World’s Strongest Woman in 2022 and became a three-time Arnold Strongwoman Classic champion, most recently winning the prestigious competition in 2026.That 2026 victory was especially meaningful. Four years after fleeing Ukraine with one suitcase, I was still competing among the strongest women in the world, refusing to let war and displacement end my dreams.

These accomplishments required years of grueling training, sacrifice, and perseverance. Professional strongwoman competition is my career and livelihood, but unlike athletes in major professional sports, we do not earn enormous salaries.The prize money I worked so hard to earn should have helped me build a stable future. Instead, I have had to spend my Arnold winnings on immigration attorneys and mounting legal expenses.

My Fight to Remain in America

Since arriving in the United States, I have worked with immigration attorneys to pursue lawful permanent residence based on my extraordinary athletic achievements.

In October 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved my EB-1 immigrant petition, officially recognizing my extraordinary ability as an athlete. I believed this was a major step toward securing my future in America.

Unfortunately, my application for adjustment of status remains pending, and I have been placed in immigration removal proceedings. I have a hearing scheduled before an immigration judge in December 2026. Although no deportation order has been issued, I face the possibility of being ordered to return to Ukraine, where the war continues and civilians are killed in Russian attacks.

The legal battle has consumed much of my savings and athletic winnings, and the expenses continue to grow. Despite my efforts to follow the immigration process and establish a permanent life here, my future remains uncertain.

Finding Love in America — and the Fear of Losing It

In June 2026, I married my husband, an American citizen and military veteran who served his country, including combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

After the fear and upheaval of leaving Ukraine, finding love and building a marriage in America gave me something I had desperately needed: hope for a peaceful and secure future. My husband served his country in war, and I fled a war in my own country. Neither of us imagined that after finding each other, we would face the possibility of being separated.

We should be enjoying our first year of marriage, planning our future, and building a life together. Instead, we face immigration court hearings, mounting legal bills, and the fear that I could be forced to leave him and return to a country at war.

I already know the heartbreak of separation. My mother and sister are thousands of miles away in Russian-occupied Donetsk, and I do not know when I will see them again. Now, the possibility of being separated from my husband is devastating.

I think about the ordinary things that make a marriage meaningful: waking up beside the person you love, sharing meals, celebrating holidays, caring for each other, and growing old together. After everything I have experienced, these simple things mean more to me than any championship.

I have already been separated from my family and lost the security of my home because of war. The thought of losing the life I am building with my husband is heartbreaking.

America Has Become My Home

Over the past four years, I have grown to love the United States and the opportunities this country has given me.

When I arrived with one suitcase in March 2022, I never imagined America would become the place where I would find love, marry my husband, and begin building a new future. I am deeply grateful for the friendships, kindness, and opportunities I have experienced here.

Ukraine will always be my homeland, and I will always be proud to represent my country. But America has become my home, too. I want to continue my professional athletic career, contribute to my community, build a family life with my husband, and someday become an American citizen.

I love this country, and I want nothing more than the chance to remain here legally, safely, and permanently.

Why I Am Asking for Help

Asking for financial assistance is not easy for me. I have always worked hard, relied on my determination, and tried to overcome challenges through my own efforts.

But my ongoing immigration battle has become financially overwhelming. I am asking for support to help cover immigration attorney fees and legal expenses as I continue pursuing permanent residence and defending my case in immigration court.

Every contribution, regardless of the amount, will help ease this burden. And if you are unable to contribute, simply sharing my story would mean so much. I cannot end the war in Ukraine or guarantee the safety of my mother and sister. But I hope, with the kindness and generosity of others, I can continue fighting for the future my husband and I are trying to build.

In February 2022, I fled Kyiv with one suitcase, uncertain whether I would ever see my home again. I came to America to compete against the strongest women in the world. Four years later, I am a three-time Arnold Strongwoman Classic champion. But the most important things I have found in America are not trophies or titles. They are love, hope, and the beginning of a new home.

I have spent my life proving how strong I can be. Now I am asking for help with something that matters more than any championship: the chance to remain with my husband, live in safety, and protect the future we have begun building together.

Thank you for reading my story and for any support you can provide.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Olga Liashchuk