THE OWNTOP TEAM
Specialists from the OWNTOP team and Irina Zelenkova’s Academy of Youth and Health
IRINA ZELENKOVA
Founder and developer of the OWNTOP methodology.
High-altitude preparation specialist, sports medicine physician, MD, PhD.
Everest summiteer with over 18 years of experience in sports performance and high-altitude preparation, including work with Olympic and World Championship medalists and participants in expeditions to the world’s highest peaks and polar regions.
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MARIA CHAIKOVSKAYA
Internal Medicine Physician and Sports Nutritionist
Maria Chaikovskaya is a physician and sports nutrition specialist with a medical degree from Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University and additional international training in sports nutrition.
Her professional experience spans clinical medicine, elite sport, education, and science communication. She has worked as a nutrition specialist with the Russian Olympic Committee and FC Lokomotiv, and has experience as a university lecturer, science editor, and swimming coach.
Maria specializes in nutrition and recovery strategies for professional and endurance athletes, including athletes in football, triathlon, marathon running, figure skating, and other sports.
Her work focuses on translating nutrition science into practical strategies adapted to an athlete’s training load, competition schedule, recovery needs, and individual goals.
She also develops and delivers educational programs in sports nutrition and health, contributes to research and science communication, and lectures for athletes, coaches, and other professionals.
KEY AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Sports and performance nutrition
- Nutrition strategies for endurance and high training loads
- Nutrition periodization around training and competition
- Recovery and nutritional support
- Gastrointestinal considerations in athletes
- Nutrition for prolonged physical activity
- Evidence-based supplementation
- Athlete education and science communication
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DANIL ILYIN
Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician, Hypoxia Specialist
Danil Ilyin is a sports medicine and rehabilitation physician with international experience, based in Spain.
Holds a core medical degree (Sechenov University), a residency in sports medicine, and practical experience working with both amateur and elite athletes, including Olympic teams.
Has broad expertise in functional diagnostics, sports rehabilitation, post-surgical recovery, running hypoxic training, and providing assistance in extreme conditions.
Applies modern rehabilitation methods and works within interdisciplinary teams.
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PAVEL KORNEEV
Specialist in Physiological Testing and Hypoxic Training
Specialist in physiological testing and hypoxic training.
Sports physiologist, certified trainer in the EXOS high-intensity training and physiotherapy system.
An expert in functional testing and training, including under hypoxic conditions.
Prepared the KAMAZ-Master rally team for the Dakar Rally, which for several years in a row took place at high altitude.
Worked with both professional teams and amateur climbers. Prepared members of expeditions to Everest and other peaks, the North Pole, and the South Pole.
Prepared athletes for the Olympic Games in Sochi, Brazil, Korea, and Tokyo.
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OLGA ILYINA
Sports Physician. Medical and Sports Rehabilitation
Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner (CKTP) since 2007.
Certified instructor of the international Kinesio Taping Association (CKTI) since 2015.
International instructor and consultant for Tecar therapy "INDIBA" (since 2013).
Provides consultations and treatment for leading Russian athletes. Chief physician of the professional women’s basketball club Spartak (Vidnoye) (2005–2009).
Physician for the Russian women's national basketball team (2008–2009).
Worked at the Summer Olympics in Beijing (2008).
Preparatory work for the Winter Olympics in Sochi (2014).
Worked at Wimbledon and Roland Garros (2015–2016).
Member of the International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) since 2008.
Practicing specialist in sports injury, podiatry, rehabilitation, and restorative medicine.
Medical consultant and regular lecturer for the Moscow Marathon.
Lead medical consultant for Nike Russia (2013–2018).
Medical consultant and ambassador for The North Face (since 2021 to the present).
Worked with the KAMAZ-Master team at the Silk Way Rally and World Cup stages.
Medical consultant for the KAMAZ-Master team.
Medical support work on extreme-sport projects:
a 424 km winter run across the ice of Lake Baikal in 6 days (the "Adrenaline Rush" project)
a 125 km swim across Lake Baikal in 36 hours (a UNESCO project).
Support for athletes at national-team and amateur level, at training camps and competitions, and on mountain climbs (Nepal, Mont Blanc, Elbrus, Kazbek).
Consultant for ballet injuries at the Bolshoi Theatre.
A graduate of Stavropol State Medical University.
Completed a clinical residency in the Department of Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine at Sechenov University.
Internships at leading clinics and rehabilitation centers in Switzerland, Germany, Finland, and Spain.
Actively engaged in clinical practice, injury prevention, and treatment.
Candidate Master of Sports in athletics (heptathlon). Ultramarathon runner.
26 years of experience.
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ELENA KUTINA
Sports and Clinical Psychologist, Master’s Degree in Psychology
Graduate of the Faculty of Psychology at Moscow State University. Specializes in sports psychology, athlete mental health, performance under pressure, and eating-related concerns in sport. Works with athletes across all levels, from developing competitors to elite and national-team athletes.
For more than 15 years, Elena has supported athletes in elite sport and national-team environments. She contributed to the psychological preparation of athletes competing at the Olympic Games in London, Sochi, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo.
Her experience spans a wide range of sports, including fencing, athletics, diving, archery, rhythmic gymnastics, cycling, triathlon, volleyball, basketball, football, freestyle skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, ice hockey, and figure skating.
Elena uses evidence-informed approaches from sports psychology and psychotherapy to support performance, mental resilience, psychological wellbeing, and long-term athlete development.
A particular focus of her work is helping athletes navigate nutrition-related concerns, body image, and performance demands in a way that protects both physical and mental health. She supports athletes in developing a healthier relationship with food and their bodies while maintaining the nutritional and psychological foundations required for training and competition.
Over the course of her career, Elena has worked with more than 2,000 athletes. Athletes and teams she has supported have won more than 100 medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships, and other major international competitions.
She also develops and leads educational programs for coaches, athletes, and parents and has delivered more than 500 hours of lectures, seminars, and practical workshops.
MAIN AREAS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSULTING
- Managing fear of failure, performance anxiety, and pre-competition nerves
- Developing an optimal psychological state before competition
- Working with negative thoughts, self-criticism, and limiting beliefs
- Building confidence and a stable sense of athletic self-worth
- Maintaining motivation and psychological readiness for long-term goals
- Developing concentration, stress-management skills, and psychological resilience in highly competitive environments
- Building practical mental skills for training and competition
- Psychological recovery after injury, setbacks, and prolonged periods of high training load
- Supporting healthy eating behaviors and reducing the risk of disordered eating in sport
- Addressing body-image concerns while protecting health, wellbeing, and athletic performance
Elena believes that high-level performance depends not only on talent and physical preparation, but also on the ability to remain focused, confident, and psychologically steady under pressure. For this reason, mental preparation is an important part of sustainable performance at the highest level.
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LIANA KOMAROVA
Sports Medicine Physician, Sports Nutritionist, Rehabilitation Specialist
Neurologist and vertebrologist; sports medicine physician, sports nutritionist.
Member of the National Kinesio Taping Association.
Specialist in treating anxiety and depressive disorders.
Ranked 2nd among neurologists on ProDoctorov — 2025.
Practices mountaineering and other extreme sports. Has supported tennis, triathlon, football, and swimming teams.
20 years of experience.
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IRINA RYBINA
Doctor of Biological Sciences, Sports Biologist, Expert in Sports Biochemistry and Exercise Physiology
Irina Rybina is a scientist and sports biology specialist with more than 20 years of experience in sport, fitness, and exercise physiology.
Her work focuses on how the body adapts to training load, particularly in endurance athletes and under demanding training conditions, including moderate-altitude exposure.
She specializes in interpreting laboratory data in the context of training, recovery, nutrition, and adaptation. Her work helps identify physiological factors that may limit endurance, impair recovery, or reduce the body’s ability to adapt effectively to high training loads.
A key part of Irina’s expertise is translating complex laboratory results into practical decisions: which biomarkers are most relevant, how they should be interpreted alongside training load and recovery, and how this information can be used to guide nutrition and preparation strategies.
This approach is especially relevant for athletes and individuals preparing for prolonged physical exertion, including mountain and high-altitude objectives, where physiological demands and recovery requirements can increase significantly.
Irina is also a science communicator and advocate for evidence-based approaches to sport, fitness, and health.
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
- Doctor of Biological Sciences
- Expert in sports biology, exercise physiology, fitness, and health
- More than 20 years of experience in sport and fitness
- 10 years of experience in laboratory medicine and diagnostics
- Author of more than 150 scientific publications
- Olympic Games participant
- Consultant to Olympic champions, coaches, physicians, athletes, parents, and recreationally active individuals
- Science communicator specializing in evidence-based sport and health
KEY AREAS OF EXPERTISE
- Interpretation of laboratory results in the context of training and recovery
- Assessment of physiological adaptation to training load
- Sports biochemistry and exercise physiology
- Endurance-performance support
- Nutrition and recovery strategies
- Identification of relevant nutritional and physiological deficiencies
- Monitoring adaptation during periods of high training load
- Evidence-based preparation for prolonged endurance and high-altitude demands
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BOOK A PERSONAL PREPARATION CONSULTATION
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STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
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Irina Zelenkova, self-employed professional (autónoma), Spain
NIE/NIF: Y7411519J
Independencia 317, 1-3, 08026 Barcelona, Spain
Email: dririnazelenkova@gmail.com
OWNTOP provides educational and sports-performance services. The Online Course does not provide individualized medical diagnosis, treatment, prescription or medical clearance. Individual responses to training, altitude and hypoxic exposure vary, and no course or coaching program can guarantee acclimatization, prevention of altitude-related illness, summit success or safe participation in a particular expedition.