Shemyakina took part in the 2007 Summer Universiade in Bangkok and won the individual event after defeating Israel's Noam Mills. For this result she was awarded the Ukrainian Order of Merit III degree by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko. A year after she qualified to the 2008 Summer Olympics by reaching the final at the European zone qualifier held in Prague. The 2008 European Championships held at home in Kiev were a major disappointment: she lost four pool bouts and did not qualify for the main table. For her Olympic début in Beijing she was defeated in the first round by Panama's Jesika Jiménez.