 Olizarenko took a break after the 1980 Olympics.Earlier in 1978 she married the Ukrainian steeplechase runner Serhiy Olizarenko, and soon after the Olympics gave birth to daughter Oksana.Olizarenko returned to athletics aiming for the 1984 Games, but those were boycotted by the Soviet Union, and she competed at the Friendship Games instead, placing third over 800 m. In the next two years she won the 1986 European title, placed second at the 1985 European Indoors and European Cup, and third at the 1985 World Cup.