RIO DE JANEIRO -- Unless you ran a marathon today, Oksana Chusovitina has you beat.
And maybe not even then.
The 41-year-old gymnast from Uzbekistan competed in the vault final Sunday. Sure, she finished seventh, second-to-last in the eight-woman field. But given that she’s closer in age to her competitors’ parents than her competitors themselves, it was still an impressive display.
“Because I like it,” Chusovitina said, simply, when asked what keeps bringing her back. “This is kind of an experiment. I would like to see how long will (I be able) to compete.”
Chusovitina would be a marvel in any sport, competing in her seventh Olympic Games. That she’s still doing it at a high level in gymnastics, where 22-year-old Aly Raisman has been dubbed “Grandma,” defies all explanation.
On Sunday, she attempted the Produnova vault, arguably the most difficult – and dangerous – being done by any of the women. It’s a front handspring onto the vault table, followed by 2½ front somersaults.
Don’t get enough height off the table and you’re in for a scary crash, every limb and ligament in jeopardy.
Chusovitina landed low, practically sitting, and had to do a somersault to slow herself.
Still, she tried it. A 41-year-old mother of a 17-year-old going for a vault so dangerous Simone Biles just shakes her head when asked if she’d consider doing it.
And Biles just won the Olympic gold medal on vault.
“As a gymnast, it’s ridiculous. Just ridiculous,” marveled Aimee Boorman, Biles’ coach -– who is only two years older than Chusovitina, by the way.
Chusovitina said she’s still competing because she can. The hardest part, really, is dragging herself out of bed each morning. That, however, is what coffee is for.
“And chocolate,” she said.
Chusovitina blew kisses and waved to the crowd as she stood on the runway after she’d finished her vaults. When the final was over, a montage of her long career played on the Jumbotron and she jumped up on a nearby podium to acknowledge the cheering crowd.
“I’m grateful to them,” she said. “This is the motivation, them.”
If it were anyone else, it might seem like a goodbye. For Chusovitina, however, it was only, “So long -- for now.”
Asked if she’ll be back for Tokyo, Chusovitina answered without hesitation. And in English to make sure there was no confusion.
“Of course,” she said.
After all, 45 is the new 17.
