Oksana Chusovitina with 8 Olympics under her belt gets injured

The “Iron Lady,” Oksana Chusovitina, of Uzbekistan, left the Olympic stage after 32 years. The artistic gymnast competed in eight consecutive Olympics, from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She is the only gymnast who has competed in eight Olympics, among both men and women.

“I got injured during training and cannot compete in the Asian Gymnastics Championships, which is a trial for the Paris Olympics in Tashkent (the capital of Uzbekistan),” said Chusovitina. “It is such a big disappointment as I really wanted to participate in the home game.”

The gymnast, who was born in 1975 when Uzbekistan was still part of the Soviet Union, embodies resilience and dedication. As the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, she represented the Commonwealth of Independent States in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, winning a gold medal for the team all-around. She continued to compete until the 2004 Athens Olympics, representing Uzbekistan. Her journey took a turn when she became naturalized in Germany, receiving an offer to help with treatment for her son’s leukemia. She won a silver medal in the gymnastics vault at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Chusovitina, who vowed not to age until her son was fully cured, recovered her Uzbek nationality in 2013 after her son was declared as fully cured. She then competed in two more Olympics representing her home country, showcasing her unwavering dedication to the sport.


Bo-Mi Im bom@donga.com