For the past one week, Uzbek gymnast Oksana Chusovitina has been waking up feeling uneasy. That’s because mornings at Incheon’s Games Village are very different from what she is accustomed to at home in Bukhara. Her usual day goes something like this: Wake up very early, fix breakfast, drop son to school, cook lunch and see-off her husband. And in the two hours she gets for herself before Alisher, her 15-year-old only child, returns from school, Oksana hits the gymnasium and works out relentlessly.

For someone who has diligently followed this time-table for close to a decade, Oksana says, she gets fidgety during those two relaxed hours. “I keep thinking why am I not doing anything, because surely there’s some work to be done in the house. Why am I here, I should be home with Alisher,” she says. Those who know of the deep bond that mother and son share — a few years ago she had moved to Germany so that Alisher could be treated for cancer — wouldn’t call Oksana an over-protective mother. Super Mom is a more apt description of this well-decorated, well-travelled gymnast.

Taking up the sport as an 8-year-old in the USSR, her first major medal, an Olympic gold, was for the combined team of a disintegrated Soviet Union in 1992 at Barcelona. She would go on to represent Uzbekistan and later Germany and thus be part of six Olympics and 14 World Championships. With 13 medals from these competitions, she has been a regular feature on podiums for more than two decades.

Today, braving an injury and tough competition from her opponents — some almost as old as her son — the evergreen vault-specialist won the silver medal in women’s vault at the Namdong Gymnasium. This being her fourth Asian Games appearance and seventh medal.

With a total score of 14.750, she was second only to North Korean gold medallist Hong Unjong (15.349) and finished ahead of Vietnam’s Thi Phan (14.683). In fact, it was her remarkable effort that pushed India’s big hope Dipa Karmakar out of medal contention. Dipa eventually had to settle for fourth place.

Precise and powerful

Precise and powerful on the vault, Oksana can still match the new generation in terms of style, grace, form and fitness. “When I look at all these young, beautiful girls around me, it inspires me to work hard and look younger even more. As far as the competitive level goes, they should be scared of me and not the other way round,” she says.

What’s her secret? She won’t say. At least, not right now. “Maybe after Rio,” she says. She had said the same before the London Olympics, informs her coach. Though, those around him do give a hint. Not giving up, they say is what has kept her going in the tough days after the Soviet Union break-up when she was suddenly without a support system from the state or during her son’s lengthy battle with leukaemia in an adopted country.

Thoughts of quitting have never ever crossed her mind. When her son was fighting cancer, Oksana competed for a club team based in Cologne and used her winnings to pay the bills. “It was a phase that made me tough mentally. That’s the only reason I can compete even today,” she says. After Alisher recovered, and as a sign of gratitude, Oksana offered to join the German team. She was 33, but the Germans were too happy to have her on board. She would repay that faith by winning a silver on vault at Beijing 2008. Four years later, she missed a podium finish as she was fifth.

In an emotional decision, Oksana decided to represent Uzbekistan again in 2013. “I have no words — I am the happiest!” she would say about her return home. In case, she makes it to 2016 Rio, she will be the only gymnast to have participated in seven Olympics. She is already an inspiration for many young girls who are told that life of a gymnast is over once she crosses her teens.

Even during the tense hours of the vault contest today, the Uzbek star’s rivals and even the coaches at the arena would smile when she would finish her routine and crowd around her to shake hands. After her silver medal winning performance, commentators speculated that Oksana would bid goodbye. Nothing of that sort happened. Oksana spoke about travelling to Nanning, China next month for the World Championships. Retirement found no place in her plans, though a medal at Rio did. Plus there was one more dream.

“I have a picture of Tom Cruise on my wall. I really like him. So I look at him every day and think I have to look young for him. Someday, if and when I meet him in the US or anywhere, I shouldn’t look too old,” she says and walks off.

And she keeps walking with a smile on her face.

Brave Karmakar misses out on medal

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Dipa Karmakar came up with a courageous performance but it still wasn’t enough to ensure her a podium finish in women’s vault. Competing with her ankle heavily strapped after landing badly in qualifying while trying a difficult forward tumbling dismount, she attempted the same vault again, only to land heavily once again. Karmakar lost her balance while rising, and her hands touched the floor, a mistake that cost her dear. “The ankle bothered a lot. Had I landed smoothly, I would have finished on the podium surely, perhaps would have won silver as well,” she said later. The Chinese and Japanese gymnasts gave the event a skip, rather focussing on the world championships that will be held next month in China.

—Express News Service