Interview with Maksym Nechydyuk 

Valerii: Please tell me about your swimming background and main achievements.
Maksym Nechydyuk:

• I began swimming in Ukraine at age 5 and continued until I was 10.
• I became a multiple junior and youth champion of Ukraine and was on the Ukrainian junior national team.
• In 2010 I competed at a large international school meet in Serbia (“2010 Champion”).
• I was invited to a meet in Cyprus but missed it because my family moved to the USA when the war started.
  Valerii: How did you come to the United States?
  Maksym: We first entered on tourist visas; later my mother, sister and I applied for TPS‑10 humanitarian status.
  Valerii: What are you doing athletically now?
  Maksym: I keep swimming for my U.S. university. I am a Division III medalist at the U.S. collegiate championships, hold several university records, and was recently named the school’s “Swimmer of the Year.”
  Valerii: At what age do swimmers usually reach their peak?
  Maksym: In swimming the peak is early. Most athletes achieve their best results between about 18 and 20; by their early 20s many retire because performance declines and the physical load gets harder.
  Valerii: How do professional swimmers earn money?
  Maksym:
• In Ukraine, national‑team members receive a stipend; I would have qualified for one through the School of Higher Sports Mastery, but I left the country before it began.
• In the USA and internationally, elite swimmers rely mainly on sponsorships from equipment and apparel brands; prize money is secondary.
  Valerii: What career paths do swimmers follow after they retire so young?
  Maksym:
• Because U.S. college swimmers must study, most graduate and then work in their academic field.
• Some stay in the sport as assistant coaches and can rise to head‑coach positions, which pay well if their teams win championships.
• Others continue racing in the Masters age‑group circuit for personal satisfaction.
  Valerii: Do you have a personal long‑term plan?
  Maksym:
• I will finish my degree in the year the Los Angeles Olympics are held. My goal is to return to Ukraine, qualify for the national team and swim at those Games.
• If I perform well, I may extend my athletic career; if not, I will retire and look for work in my major, most likely in the USA where opportunities are better.
• Coaching is a fallback option if finding a job in my field proves difficult.
  Valerii: Can you train in the USA but still compete for Ukraine?
  Maksym: Unfortunately, the Ukrainian federation requires full‑time training inside Ukraine; athletes who leave lose their national‑team place. Many swimmers my age have chosen U.S. college scholarships and had to quit the Ukrainian team, even though the training level in America is higher.
  Valerii: Understood. Thank you for the detailed answers.
  Maksym: Thank you for inviting me to talk.