From Olympian to Analyst: Viktorija's Journey Beyond Sports
Viktorija Senkutė has never been one to choose just one path. As a Lithuanian Olympian and bronze medalist, she dedicated years to rowing at the highest level. But even while competing on the world stage, she knew she wanted more: something beyond sports that would challenge her mind just as much as training pushed her body.
Balancing academics and athletics from an early age, Viktorija studied in the US while training, then returned to Lithuania to work at a SaaS startup that supported her sporting career. But when the company downsized, she found herself at a crossroads — grappling with financial uncertainty and an unexpected sense of loss. Training alone wasn't enough. She needed something that would push her forward. That's when she found Turing College's Data Analytics program.
Why Turing College?
Viktorija's training schedules were unpredictable, and traditional academic programs didn’t fit. Turing College was the only option that let her pursue both her athletic and intellectual goals without compromise. The self-paced structure and 1:1 mentoring let her tailor her studies around training.
What she didn't expect was how much the Turing community would support her during one of the toughest periods of her life.
"For me, Turing College was more than just a learning platform. It played a huge role in preparing for the games by helping me shift my focus from training. It kept me disciplined and balanced at the same time," Viktorija says.
Overcoming Challenges, One Step at a Time
Viktorija's journey at Turing College wasn't always smooth. She still remembers an early open session on SQL where nothing made sense.
"I don't understand anything. This is like a dark forest for me," she thought. But hearing that confusion was normal gave her the confidence to push forward. These sessions became an emotional support system.
Even after winning her bronze medal, Viktorija faced an unexpected hurdle. The emotional weight of such a huge achievement made her question whether she could continue her studies. But Turing College’s flexibility meant she didn’t have to choose between recovery and progress. She stepped back, reset, and came back stronger.
Now, she feels real pride in her progress. Small moments, like casually discussing programming languages with her fiancé’s brother, remind her just how far she’s come.
Lessons from Rowing and Data
Viktorija sees parallels between sports and learning. "In sports, muscles grow during rest. The same applies to studies — our brains need time to process what we've learned."
For Viktorija, Turing College was about more than acquiring knowledge — it was about regaining balance, rediscovering herself, and proving that she was much more than just an athlete: "Even if your career is to be an athlete, you have to remember that you are much more than that. You are someone's girlfriend, friend, daughter. You can have hobbies outside of sports and study something unrelated to sports like I did. Being an athlete is not the only thing that defines me."
Her advice to others: "Don't give up, allow yourself breaks, and keep moving forward, one step (or stroke) at a time."