International Gymnast Dec '00
By John Crumlish
Svetlana Khorkina prepares for her next stage
Petulant one minute, jubilant the next, Russia's Svetlana Khorking evoked as many emotions as she displayed during the Olympics. Beleaguered team matriarch, enchantress, victim and vindicted heroine. By circumstance or choice, the tempermental Khorkina performed all these roles before a rapt global audience.
The stately 21-year-old from Belgorod entered Sydney ready to adorn the all-around gold. reinvigorated by her triumph at the Europeans in May, were she won the all-around and three additional golds, Khorkina crashed and was burned in Sydney by a bizarre equipment mishap. Halfway through the all-around final, officials discovered that the vaulting horse was too low- a mistake rectified too late for Khorkina, who bombed her first vault and later slipped off the bars.
Furious and crushed, the tearful Khorkina stalked away from the arena but emerged three nights later a woman renewed. Transforming her rage into resolve, she successfully defended her '96 Olympic title on the bars with perhaps the most inspired performance of her career. The following night, she added a silver for her provocative floor routine.
The rallying force of her team, Khorkina is a role model for many gymnasts and fans around the world- especially her sister Yulia, who turned 17 in November. Yulia, who competes on the national level in Russia, was dispatched to Sydney to support Svetlana following her all-around ordeal.
although sometimes percieved as a prima donna, the elder Khorking again manifested her doting nature during the T.J. Maxx tour in San Jose. after Khorkina finished her routing on the bars, a girl of five or six waved to her passing idol, then froze in place in spite of Khorkina's charming insistence that the girl come to her for a personal greeting. Later in the show, the same girl mustered the courage to position herself in the front row as Khorkina prepared to pass by again. This time, Khorkina availed herself to a hearty hug that she returned with a kiss.
Once nearly dismissed from the elite candidacy because of her gangly frame, the 5-foot-5 Khorkina continues to defy gravity, age and cynics. One advocate is Nadezhda Maslennikova-coach of Khorkina's physical antithesis on the Russian squad, the petite but muscular Yelena Zamolodchikova, who won vault and floor in Sydney. "Body type is not so important anymore, because nobody would have foreseen Svetlana Khorkina," said Maslennikova.
The Khorkina 'type' may be a rarity in contemporary gymnastics, but Khorkina sees herself active in roles on and off the podium for years to come. A mellow but ever candid Khorkina spoke with IG before the Oct. 15 San Jose, Calif., stop of the T.J. Maxx tour.
IG: In Sydney, how long did it take for you to get over the vaulting fiasco and the all-around in general?
SK: After the all-around, of course I was disappointed. I felt badly because a lot of things were not my fault; for example, the vault was set at the wrong height. Also, I was worried about my knees and ankles because I landed badly on the first vault. But there was a break between the all-around and the individual events, which helped. Now, I have forgotten about everything. I am very happy to be on the tour, in a nice place, with all the American gymnasts, I feel great. I am traveling all over the U.S. and have a lot of fans around me.
IG: Your younger sister Yulia flew to Sydney after the all-around. You usually give her advice. This time, she advised you. What did she say?
SK: I saw her only 10 minutes before I went onto the podium for the bars final. We just hugged each other and cried, and then Yulia just said (demonstrates by placing a firm hand on interviewer's shoulder), "Sveta, you just go to the bars."
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