A 2^nd-year student of the Psychology and Pedagogy Faculty of Balashov Institute, SSU, Lada Leontyeva became the winner of the Open Championship of the Russian Chess Boxing Federation. It took place in St. Petersburg from 17 to 19 September. 97 athletes from 21 Russian regions as well as Zambia, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan participated in the tournament.

Lada, the only woman who participated in the championship, became a two-time Russian champion, having won gold medals in two disciplines – women's chess boxing 64 kg and the women’s chess boxing fit 75 kg.

As a result of the championship, an SSU student received the right to represent Russia and the region at the World Chessboxing Championship, which will be held in Italy in December 2021.

Chess boxing is a synthesis of chess and boxing, a sports and applied discipline, a hybrid method for the development of intellectual and physical abilities, teaching the ability to combine mental and physical activity in extreme combat conditions. In chess boxing the first round is held in chess, the second in boxing, and so it alternates up to three rounds, each of which lasts 3 minutes. Changes are held until the victory of one of the participants.

Chess boxing fit is a non-contact discipline in chess boxing, here the rounds of boxing are held with using bags and the number of blows inflicted on the bag, their strength, the technique of various elements (slopes, dives, hits, etc.) are assessed. In chess boxing fit the victory is won by the one who wins in chess or delivers more strong and technical blows to the bag. The competitions are held, according to the Olympic system.

‘To participate in chess boxing competitions was very important for me, I wanted to defend the honour of the region, Saratov University, the sports school where I train. In addition, I understood that if I could successfully perform at a tournament in Russia, then there would a chance to breakthrough to a higher level, to international competitions,’ Lada said Lada. ‘Before the competition, I was very worried because I did not know the level of training of the other participants. Physically, it was also difficult because it was necessary to prepare for the competition in a short time. And I also had to perform with an ankle sprain, which I received just before the final. Now we have to prepare for the World Championship, and before that, take part in the Russian Chess Boxing Championship among students. In other words, I am passionate about chess boxing and I want to continue developing here. But I will not give up my favourite “clean” boxing and chess either.’

Lada has been playing chess since 2008, several times she has become the prize-winner of the Saratov region championships among girls in chess, she had the 1 category. And since 2016, she has become interested in women's boxing and switched to classes at the Balashov municipal sports school. The athlete is Candidate for Master of Sports in boxing, a four-time boxing champion of Saratov Region.

Lada's father, Yurii Leontyev, is in charge of her chess training. He himself is Candidate for Master of Sports in chess and a retired major of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Her boxing trainers are Gennadii and Sergei Akimov.