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Oldest competitor Chusovitina eyes Beijing
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-22 11:25
MELBOURNE, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Oksana Chusovitina breaks into a wry smile when
reminded that she was a veteran of the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
 The 30-year-old from Uzbekistan is the oldest competitor at the
Melbourne world gymnastics championships which start on Tuesday -- an astounding
achievement given that most international female competitors are considered
pensionable by the age of 20.
"When you are on the podium, no-one asks whether you're 15 or 30,"
Chusovitina told a news conference through an interpreter on Monday. "What
matters is whether you can do great gymnastics.
"I'm here because I love gymnastics. I will compete and will enjoy it while I
can."
The 2003 world vault champion has an additional reason to continue competing
-- her son Alisher was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2002 and has been receiving
treatment in Germany.
The money she earns competing on the circuit goes towards his medical bills.
"If I was not involved in gymnastics it would not have been possible for us
to move to Germany to have highly qualified treatment," said Chusovitina, who is
married to Olympic wrestler Bakhodir Kurbanov.
"Secondly, when this happened whenever I was competing the gymnastics
communities across the world tried to put together funds to help us pay for the
treatment.
"So (by competing) I would like to thank the whole gymnastics community who
have helped us in tough times."
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