HANGZHOU, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) — Every time Oksana Chusovitina competes in a gymnastics occasion, she captures the highlight. The Hangzhou Asian Games proved no exception.
When the 48-year-old Uzbek gymnast participated within the Asiad ladies’s gymnastics qualification at Huanglong Gymnasium on Monday, 1000’s of spectators chanted for “Qiu Ma,” which interprets to “Mother Chusovitina.” A throng of journalists waited within the blended zone, hoping for an interview alternative.
“I’m touched by Chusovitina’s story. She tried to save her son and just never gave up,” stated Zhang Anqi, a Hangzhou native who attended the occasion.
“I am lucky to see her here in my home city. She is beautiful both as an athlete and as a mother,” Zhang added.
After finishing her vault, Chusovitina blew a kiss to the viewers and fashioned a “heart” gesture together with her fingers.
“It is the love and support of the people that keep me going and give me the strength to achieve more,” Chusovitina stated.
“I am not very satisfied with my performance tonight. Actually, I was a little over-excited,” she added.
Chusovitina has a storied historical past on the Asian Games, having gained eight medals, together with two golds in 2002. This 12 months, she’s focusing on a medal within the vault. “I will increase the difficulty in the final,” she shared.
Chusovitina’s Olympic journey started in 1992, representing the Unified Team of the previous Soviet Union. She later stood for Uzbekistan, transitioned to German citizenship in 2006, and reclaimed her Uzbek citizenship in 2013.
When Chusovitina’s son was identified with leukemia in 2002, she adopted German citizenship to compete at world occasions for the next revenue and higher medical therapy. Her heartfelt sentiment, “I dare not grow old until you are well,” has resonated with many.
After her son’s restoration, Chusovitina continued her gymnastics journey out of sheer love for the game. Though she introduced her retirement after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she determined to return shortly after.
“The biggest motivation is my desire. I want to perform. I love gymnastics, and this profession brings me great joy. I’m just doing what I love, so why should I stop?” Chusovitina stated.