When some women find out she's competing, they drop out.
Not every sport will bring you global fame, even if you're at the top. Not everyone knows the name Jana Vašková (31), but she's a true standout. Hailing from a small village near Bardejov, she's a multiple-time world champion with over 100 trophies in strength bodybuilding and mas-wrestling.
She also competed in strongwoman events in Las Vegas, going head-to-head with the world's strongest women. These achievements have made her one of the most renowned women in strength sports and one of the strongest women globally, with two titles in the Guinness World Records.
- How she almost deleted an email from Guinness World Records.
- What she had to overcome in the world's strongest woman competition.
- The hate she often faces and how she deals with comments about not fitting the ideal female prototype.
I'm headed to meet Janka at the sports hall in Bardejov, where she has an office and gym. A million questions run through my mind as I slip along the icy path leading to the hall.
Entering the sports hall, I navigate the long corridor to her office, where Janka awaits. Her physique commands respect, but her good vibes are immediate, creating a relaxed atmosphere.
Sometimes She Spends 16 Hours at Work
She's a multi-time world champion, holds several powerlifting records, ranks among the world's strongest women, and is noted in the Guinness World Records. So, what does her daily work life actually involve?
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"I'm mostly in this office and gym, which is right next door. Today, for instance, I'm here from 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM, just on my lunch break now, haha," Janka explains her schedule and adds that she operates like this five days a week. Weekends are reserved for family, friends, and rest.
Despite numerous titles and wins, strength sports aren't financially rewarding in Slovakia. Janka earns money as a personal trainer at her gym and also coaches Slovak youth in mas-wrestling.
I know little about mas-wrestling, only that Janka is a multiple-time world champion in it.
"A few years ago, mas-wrestling wasn't popular in Slovakia, and it likely still isn't. It's essentially a form of tug-of-war where you press your feet against a board and pull against an opponent with a stick. It originated in Russian Yakutia, where I went to my first world championship in 2018 as a novice, knowing very little about it. I went there and left with a gold medal around my neck, haha," Janka recounts.
She's also excelled in powerlifting for a long time, which includes the bench press, deadlift, and squat. In primary school, she participated in shot put, wanted to build muscle, and be a fitness pro, but her trainer advised her that her strengths were better suited for powerlifting, where she later set several world records.
Janka mentions that it's tough to make a living from this in Slovakia. Whenever she competed and traveled, she was lucky to have sponsors cover her travel expenses and other costs but now makes a living by training clients.
While she has won several prestigious competitions, prize money in powerlifting or mas-wrestling isn't what you might think. "I think the prize money for the biggest competitions where I placed first was about 600-800 euros, often not even covering airfare. It's different in Russia, where these athletes earn well and function as professionals. You have to love this sport; otherwise, you can't keep doing it," she explains.
She's Read Online Comments About Herself Only Once
She's been devoted to strength sports since she was eighteen, supported constantly by family and close friends. Still, there are those who criticize her physique or don't agree with the idea of women lifting heavy weights.
"The funny thing is, no one has ever said anything to my face, but there's a lot online. Most often, it's about how I don't fit the typical female prototype or that women shouldn't be in strength sports. I admit I've only read comments about myself once, and when I saw the profiles of those criticizing and hating on me, I realized I'd never comment on someone's life if I couldn't achieve similar things. Plus, I'm stubborn and have my own mind; negative reactions don't get to me," she states.
Holds World Records and is 4th Strongest Woman Globally, But Doesn't Dwell on It
Speaking of records, she casually mentions her world records: 205 kg in squats, 252.5 kg in deadlift, and 130 kg in bench press. Hearing these huge numbers, I can't help but think of how I struggled with a 40 kg deadlift at the gym a few days ago.
In the past, Janka has competed in strongwoman contests, where events include pulling a 400 kg sled, lifting concrete balls, and carrying 100 kg suitcases. Many times in her career, she won the title of Slovakia's strongest woman, often recognized as the strongest woman worldwide.
"Honestly, it doesn't really hit me until someone points it out. Recently, I was giving a talk at a primary school, and when the teacher said, 'Hey kids, this is the strongest woman in the world,' it hit me. At the Vegas strongwoman event, I finished fourth, but later, the winner came to a competition in Hungary, and I beat her because I was less stressed and more comfortable in what felt like a home environment," Janka shares.
She often jokes about her strength and titles with close friends who tease her about winning wherever she goes, making it a done deal. She remembers situations where women withdrew from competitions to be the strongest Czech and Slovene because they heard she was coming. She calls these moves lame because if she hadn't trained hard, she wouldn't win and wouldn't be where she is today.
Opponents Study Her and Prefer Cheating Over Fair Winning
Janka is so skilled in mas-wrestling that opponents reportedly study her specifically. "Russians have a training center in Sochi where they prepare for competitions for two weeks. I know they strategize against me. The last match I lost, my opponent twisted the stick in a way that just barely avoided disqualification. They know they can't beat me with strength, so they try other tactics," she notes.
We touch on whether Janka ever had to use her strength for self-defense or to defend someone close. She laughs, recalling only one incident where she gently restrained a woman attacking her friend. She's never needed to protect herself this way, stating that her calm mindset triumphs over aggression.
Almost Sent Guinness World Records Email to Spam
Janka holds records in various disciplines, often gaining media attention for unconventional strength demonstrations. According to Guinness, she's the best at rolling skillets and tossing men overhead. But she almost missed participating in this unusual event.
"One day, I got an email from a lady claiming to be from Guinness. I almost sent it to spam, not believing it. But it turned out to be real. They wanted a women's competition for skillet rolling and tossing men overhead. I won both, got a certificate, a trip to Italy, and prize money of about 1,500 euros," Janka shares, smiling about the experience.
I've Seen Doping Ruin Lives
Doping is often discussed in strength sports. Janka insists it's possible to do strength sports without doping, but each athlete must decide how far they want to go regarding health.
At the pro level, testing is rare because some competitions lack enforcement. It's generally dangerous if someone doesn't respect their body's limits. Janka adds she's witnessed women harmed more than helped by doping. "I know I'm not a typical woman, but even with doping, you have to draw a line so that something feminine remains; sometimes, it's just too much," she says.
A Good Diet's Base is Chicken and Rice
Before wrapping up, we talk about the diet that helps the world's strongest woman and how long they can maintain this profession. The everlasting basis of a good diet, she reveals, is chicken and rice, protein, cottage cheese, fruit, and eggs.
"Not to make it too fitness-focused, I enjoy a burger or pizza on Friday or Saturday, haha. Age-wise, if you've avoided injuries like me, you can push hard until your forties," Janka adds.
We chatted for nearly an hour in her office. I learned about mas-wrestling, what it takes to become the world's strongest woman, and the financial challenges of this sport. Beyond that, Janka contributes to youth sports education, deserving great respect for everything she's achieved.
