Nikita Nagorny qualified to three event finals at the Olympics and was one of the main medal contenders in two of them – floor and vault. However, he only won the medal in the third final – a bronze on horizontal bar on the last day of the competition. He explained that he started feeling unwell after the all-around final and only felt a little bit better today:
“I had health issues after the all-around final. As I understand, I passed a kidney stone. It was discovered before the Olympics but it wasn’t passing and then it suddenly decided to pass here. I had fever and colics. The pain prevented me from sleeping, fever would break and then return again. Today, I started feeling a bit better. I don’t have a headache anymore, my body feels better but I still have the colics.”
“As soon as I realized that I had health issues, we told the team about that. All the [COVID] tests were negative and only after that we started trying to get the fever down and prepare for the competition. Had I had a positive test, I would have been quarantined.”
Nagorny plans to hydrate better once he gets home:
“When I return, I’ll eat more watermelons and drink lemonade. Lemonade or something else? Well, for you, I’ll say lemonade.”
Despite suffering from pain and fever, Nagorny was extremely critical of his results in the event finals. Today, he tried to go easy on himself, especially since he did not expect to win a medal on horizontal bar:
“I posted on Instagram that I demand a lot from myself. Perhaps, some don’t like that I turned my performances here into a discussion and self-criticism. Yesterday, I realized that it was really too much. On the last day of the competition, I just wanted to relax and enjoy this moment. For me, this medal is worth a lot because of the fights with myself in my head. The fact that I went out there with my head cleared and did everything freely… I liked the thought that someone could go out there and do a better routine than me – in that case, I wouldn’t be on the medal podium. I told myself: “Listen, it’s ok, it means he deserves it more. You went out there and did your best. You were the one who told yourself yesterday that you’re just enjoying it”. I’m happy that I managed to do this.”
Nagorny is already planning medal celebrations but will return to training after he gets some rest:
“I think, we’ll celebrate as a team. I’ll go to Rostov [Nagorny’s home city] and celebrate with my family. Perhaps, I’ll have a party. It’s once-in-a-lifetime event and an Olympic gold was my biggest dream. All the people who were connected to that medal should be by my side [at the celebration]. But I don’t have fewer goals in the sport. There’s always another Olympics, it’s an endless cycle. Believe me, I also have many goals besides the sport. Paris? Life will tell us, it’s a sport, it’s impossible to make predictions. But I’m not retiring, I will train and prepare for future competitions. I don’t know how long I’ll stay in the sport.”
Nagorny also commented on the return of Simone Biles to competition. Biles won bronze on beam today after withdrawing from the all-around and three event finals earlier. Nagorny said:
“Of course, I’m happy to see her at a competition today. I felt bad that she couldn’t go out and show what she’s capable of. She has such vaults that even the guys think they can’t compete with her. She competed well today. She’s a legendary athlete whose name will already go down in history. I wish her to get better soon and I hope to see her at international competitions again.”
Biles can probably relate to what Nagorny experienced in Tokyo – she dealt with a kidney stone at the 2018 World Championships.
Photo: Russian Artistic Gymnastics Federation
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