'When you do your job with joy, it brings you great joy': At 48, legendary gymnast Oksana Chusovitina eyes ninth Olympics
Oksana Chusovitina has competed in every edition of the Olympic Games since 1992, representing the Soviet Union, Germany and her home nation of Uzbekistan.
Oksana Chusovitina competes at the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Singapore. (Photo: Linee Yeo)
SINGAPORE: In a small room in the depths of the OCBC Arena on Sunday (Jun 18), legendary gymnast Oksana Chusovitina held court for about 15 minutes.
There were wry grins as she answered questions in Russian, some quizzical shakes of the head. When someone joked that she was turning 21, not 48, on Monday, she quipped: "18!"
Decades after Chusovitina made her competitive debut, she continues to defy time.
She has competed in every edition of the Olympic Games since 1992. She has represented the Soviet Union, Germany and Uzbekistan, and won at the highest level.
Throughout the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Singapore, there were enthusiastic requests for selfies, shy hugs from other gymnasts, and on Sunday, a bouquet of flowers presented to her ahead of her birthday.
Even after her competition ended – Chusovitina won a silver in the vault event – she explains that she cannot stay for long, there are events underway and she wants to be in the stands.
“I can't speak for all athletes ... but I really like gymnastics. I love gymnastics. And when you do your job with joy, it brings you great joy. So I don’t go to the training hall because it is necessary. I go because I like it," said the diminutive Uzbek.
"As long as I am able to do this, as long as I like it, I will continue doing it.”
AN EPIC JOURNEY
Chusovitina's Olympic journey began in Barcelona, just over three decades ago.
A year after winning gold medals in the team and floor exercise events at the World Championships, she clinched a team gold on her Games debut competing for the Unified team, which consisted of a number of former Soviet republics who chose to compete together following the break up of the Soviet Union.
After Barcelona, Chusovitina began competing for her home nation Uzbekistan. She went on to represent Uzbekistan at three Olympics, multiple Asian Games and World Championships.
In 2002, Chusovitina's two-year-old son Alisher was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukaemia. To get the best treatment for him, the gymnast and her family moved to Germany. She then represented Germany from 2006 to 2012.
“This was the most difficult moment in my career because when your child is sick, you know that you can't help him, only treatment can," she said.
"I am grateful to the entire gymnastic world, which supported me at that moment, which helped me in every way that it could help me."
In 2008, Chusovitina clinched her second Olympics medal, a vault silver at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. But more importantly, she received the "most joyful news that a mother can receive". Alisher was completely healthy.
"Not a single Olympic medal, even a gold medal, or even two gold medals, can compare," she said.
Chusovitina eventually switched back to representing Uzbekistan and competed at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. Her plan was for the Tokyo Olympics to be her swansong.
She decided to press on after Tokyo, but it wasn't for the glory.
"Why should I leave the sport if it brings me joy?" she said. "Every athlete wants to stand on the podium with a medal, but I did not come back because of this. I came back because it brings me joy and, for now, I am able to do it well.”
THE "SECRET" OF LONGEVITY
While many consider her a living legend, Chusovitina is less keen on the tag.
"I have a long way to go until I can be called a legend," she said. "To be honest, I'm a little embarrassed about it. Somehow for me it still sounds very grand."
At competitions, there is "no time for compliments", she added.
"No matter how old you are, on the competition floor, we are all equal. This is why I am also competing with young and middle-aged athletes. When you go out into the competition, there is no such thing as age."
Hers is a career with no regrets, Chusovitina said.
"If I was given the opportunity to do everything again, I would probably do everything the same way," she said.
"My greatest achievement is that there is an artistic gymnastics academy named after me that is getting built in Tashkent.
"I really want gymnastics to grow in Uzbekistan, so that people not only know me, so that our young generation will represent Uzbekistan and make the country’s name ring out all over the world.”
Another mark of her impact on gymnastics is that Chusovitina has five elements named after her in the gymnastics rule book.
And she hasn't run out of moves just yet. Chusovitina is hoping to qualify for next year's Olympics in Paris.
Perhaps only then will she call time on one of the most remarkable sports careers.
“The most important thing is to work hard, never give up, and most importantly, listen to yourself. Never listen to outside opinions that everyone tries to give. People can talk a lot. You have to listen to yourself and do what you want," she said.
"If you want to, train. If you want to do it, do it. Do what you like and make sure to try and do it today, so you don't have regrets tomorrow.”
