Svetlana Fedkina’s Sixth-Place Fit Model Olympia Debut Sets Up Her Next Challenge

Svetlana Fedkina’s sixth-place finish at the first Fit Model Olympia capped a rapid rise from amateur competitor to Olympia finalist in 2026. Her debut gave her a place in the division’s history and a clear target for what comes next: improve on sixth.

The new category also offered Fedkina a fit for the athletic identity she’d been building for years. When IFBB Pro League Vice President Tyler Manion announced the division in December 2024, she saw a possible route to the Olympia and a chance to present herself in a way that felt right.

A division that fits her background

Fedkina spent much of her childhood in ballet, then found bodybuilding’s Bikini division in 2013. She describes competing as a natural extension of her sporting life, combining discipline, physical development and stage performance.

“For me, it brings together everything I love: sports, discipline, constant self-improvement, aesthetics, and the opportunity to perform and express myself on stage.”

She also sees her role as extending beyond competition. Fedkina hopes her example will encourage women to view strength and health as compatible with femininity and beauty. “If my own journey can inspire someone to become a better version of themselves, that means a lot to me.”

The Fit Model standard drew on the look of Ashley Kaltwasser, who was reigning Olympia champion when Fedkina began competing in Bikini. Fedkina saw the new category as an opportunity to show the form she had worked toward. Earlier attempts to earn a pro card in another division, which could have felt like setbacks at the time, now look to her like preparation.

“I also had this strong feeling that everything I had been through in the sport was somehow preparing me for this opportunity.”

A fast route to the Olympia stage

Fedkina earned her pro card at the Junior USA event in May 2026. She placed eighth in her pro debut at the St. Pete Pro a month later, then won the Tampa Pro in her second professional show to qualify for the Olympia. She finished sixth at the inaugural Fit Model Olympia in Las Vegas.

“Being part of the first-ever Fit Model Olympia was incredibly special to me,” she said. She called the division’s debut on the Olympia stage a historic moment for professional bodybuilding and said she was proud her name would be part of it.

Fedkina also became the first Slavic athlete to qualify for the Fit Model Olympia. She hopes that milestone helps other women from the region see a path to the stage, while recognizing that opportunities can arrive on an unexpected timetable.

“You just have to keep going long enough to be ready when it finally does.”

Starting the year as an amateur and ending it among the Olympia top six has given Fedkina both confidence and a benchmark. She says the result showed she can compete at that level, while also making clear that she has room to improve. If she returns in 2027, she’ll be looking to place higher.

Fedkina’s lower-body workout

Fedkina shared a lower-body session from her Olympia preparation. Fit Model has different standards from Bikini and Wellness, but she says training still demands hard work. One movement calls for particular attention: her Bulgarian split squat setup, which she has adapted to emphasize her glutes.

“It is basically the only exercise I do all week that significantly involves my quads,” she said. A resistance band around her working knee is part of a technique she developed to shift more of the effort toward her glutes.

She usually rests 1.5 to 2 minutes between sets, extending recovery to as long as five minutes after harder work.

• Heavy Bent-Over Hip Abduction — 3 sets of 15–25 reps
• Single-Leg Bulgarian Split Squat in Hack Squat Machine — 3 sets of 12–15 reps per leg
• Smith Machine Hip Thrust — 3 working sets of 12–15 reps
• Single-Leg Kickback — 3 sets of 12–15 reps per leg

Replays of the 2026 Olympia can be seen at olympiaproductions.com. You can follow Fedkina on Instagram @sweetlana_ifbbpro.