‘I’m not at a dog show’: Russian bodybuilding champ reveals why she decided to quit sports
World champion Russian bodybuilder Alina Malykhina has opened up about her stunning professional career, revealing that she decided to quit sports after feeling she was treated like a participant in a “dog show.”
The fitness model known as the ‘Russian Barbie’ said that she lost motivation to train and sank into a deep depression after winning the 2018 World Fitness Championships.
The Krasnoyarsk-born athlete revealed that she didn’t see any sense in competing after conquering all possible heights she had dreamt of.
“After winning the coveted world title I was overwhelmed with happiness and euphoria. My dream finally became true. ‘I’m the best in the word, I did it, I proved to anyone who didn’t believe in me that I could win.’ Ok, my achievement has been acknowledged. And what happened next? Nothing, I felt at a loss, because I had nothing else to achieve,” Malykhina said.
She said she lost her passion for the sport after feeling that bodybuilding competitions are like “dog shows” where competitors are judged on the basis of their physical perfection.
“I was standing on the stage while competing at the European championship when a sudden thought struck my mind. ‘This is not my place. What the hell is going on here? Why do they look at me and judge me as if we are at a dog show? Why do they compare me with other women? Why should I meet any standards? That’s nonsense!’ I just wanted to get out, take off the false lashes and remove my makeup.”
Malykhina said she hasn’t gone to a gym for more than seven months, and that she leads a happy life without being tied to a strict competitive schedule.
