The Russian women’s team won their first ever team Olympic gold yesterday. This was one of the achievements Svetlana Khorkina strived for when she was an active gymnast. When Russia placed second in the 2000 team final, Khorkina even angrily removed her medal right after stepping off the medal podium because she was going for gold. Thus, it is not surprising Khorkina had many things to say on yesterday’s results.
She told Sport-Express:
“I’m crying. Congratulations on the historic medal, the first one in the history of independent Russia! My dream has come true. The girls made us nervous but it’s ok. I said that there are no unbeatable gymnasts. As soon as we start competing confidently, others have mistakes. Only confidently and only [with your minds set] to the victory! The girls did a good job!”
She said that Biles’ withdrawal after vault helped but wasn’t the only reason for Russia’s victory:
“Everyone was working hard and waiting for this specific team. And today everything came together. I can’t say that it was easy. The American gymnast withdrawing helped in part. But we don’t care because we’ve won.”
Khorkina hopes that the double Russian victory will make the sport more popular in Russia:
“It felt like I was competing, I was ready to put on a leotard and run [to compete]. Despite two major mistakes on beam, our girls fought till the end, that means a lot. We had unity and character. This is the first team gold medal in the history of modern Russia and I really hope that these historical medals will lead to a new rise in popularity and development of gymnastics.”
In the past, Svetlana Khorkina made some very questionable comments about Simone Biles, including accusing Biles of doping and claiming that she would have been able to challenge Biles in competition.
However, after hearing the news that Biles withdrew from the all-around final, Khorkina’s comments have been quite gracious. She wrote on her Instagram:
“Yes, we got the information that the leader of the US artistic gymnastics team will not compete in the all-around final (WAG). It happens – it’s the Olympics and all sorts of things happen. I’ve always respected my rivals and it’s a pity that we won’t see her performances at this competition. I wish her to come back to the Olympic competition as soon as possible!”
In a comment to RBC Sports, Khorkina was asked about her predictions for the WAG AA final:
“In this situation, I don’t want to make any predictions. It’s better not to put medals around your neck in advance. The American gymnast is talented and strong, it’s really unfortunate that such a strong competitor is out. The stronger [the competition], the more interesting it is. Of course, the fight will be interesting. Everyone now has a chance to fulfill their dream – not just the Russian gymnasts but there are also Americans and others, a French gymnast, a Brazilian, and don’t discard the Romanian gymnast if she made the final, and, of course, don’t discard the English gymnasts.”
Like any high-level gymnast, Khorkina understands well that gymnastics is a dangerous sport and if a gymnast doesn’t feel right, it’s a very bad idea to keep competing. She also had moments in her career, when she felt off and was afraid of competing. For example, she wrote in her memoir about the uneven bars final at the Athens Olympics:
“In that moment on bars, I suddenly saw it with some sort of a second sight: another moment and something irreparable would happen. Thoughts were running in my head: I wasn’t given enough time in order to thoroughly prepare and “feel” the apparatus before competing; they turned on the green light that signals the start of the routine before they were supposed to. According to the rules, if you don’t approach the bars during the 30 seconds after the light, you get a zero. And I had to stop the preparations and rush to start the routine. But this apparatus doesn’t forgive hastiness: one imprecise movement and you’re crippled. Only my inner calm and habitual caution saved me. I did half of the routine totally focused. I had already started my signature move when I suddenly felt that something’s wrong with the bars and I’m peeling off. Another moment and I’d fall, become disabled for life, needed by no one, forgotten by everyone, despite being internationally famous for a minute in the past. No, I couldn’t afford such “luxury” and the next moment I opened my fingers and slowly hopped down.”
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I am glad she is happy as well. Favourite gymnast growing up.