Sovetsky Sport. July 17, 1999. This year, Larisa Latynina was named one of the top 25 athletes of the 20th century by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). She is the only female athlete in the world to possess a collection of 18 Olympic medals - nine of which are gold.
Golden Tuning Fork
Furthermore, the renowned champion ascended the top step of the podium at the world championships on eight occasions. In recognition of her achievements, Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), presented her with the IOC's Silver Order. UNICEF (the children's branch of UNESCO) bestowed upon Latynina the Golden Tuning Fork. Only one other gymnast - Olga Korbut - holds this prestigious award. Larisa Latynina's name has been enshrined in a unique American registry in New York: the Women's Olympic Hall of Fame. Moreover, last year, Olympic gymnastics champions Nadia Comaneci and her husband, Bart Conner, inaugurated the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. Invited to the celebratory ceremonies for the occasion, Larisa Latynina saw her name listed among the very first inductees.
An extraordinary individual and a charming woman, she now spends the majority of her time with her family, living in a country home. She rarely grants interviews, having made a gracious exception for the readers of our publication.
The Ideal Gymnast
"Gymnastics Through the Years" - that's the title of one of your books. How, then, does this sport appear from the vantage point of a lifetime's journey?
When watching circus acrobats, one cannot help but marvel at their mastery and their execution of difficult maneuvers. Yet, in gymnastics, there is an additional overarching objective: to perform these elements in such a way that the entire routine leaves neither the spectators nor the judges indifferent - to ensure that you get noticed. Regretably, not much attention is paid to this aspect nowadays - a neglect I consider entirely unjustified.
I was absolutely thrilled when, at the Universiade in Palma de Mallorca, our Svetlana Khorkina won four gold medals: in the team competition, the all-around, the uneven bars, and the floor exercise. Her floor routine, for instance, was not oversaturated with overly complex elements. Perhaps some of the other Universiade competitors included more "Ultra-C" acrobatic skills in their floor routines. Yet, Khorkina's composition provided immense aesthetic pleasure. Many watched it with delight; it was a true gymnastic spectacle.
In your view, is the process of increasing complexity continuing, or has gymnastics stalled at a certain level?
Over the last two years, we have no longer seen the kind of frenzied escalation of difficulty that was characteristic, for instance, five years ago. And now - thank goodness - greater attention is being paid to beauty and precision. By precision, I mean the clean execution of individual elements. In the past, when difficult tricks were still a novelty, the paramount objective was simply to land them; it mattered little whether or not the gymnast fully pointed her toes. Nowadays, however, the standards in this regard are exceptionally high. No matter how difficult an element may be, it must be executed with both technical correctness and aesthetic grace. I return once again to Khorkina and her routine on the uneven bars: her routine is so logically constructed that one is sometimes led to think: "This - this is the very ideal of gymnastics that generations of athletes have dreamed of." It is no coincidence, after all, that Svetlana wins one competition after another; it signifies that the perfection of her execution is universally acknowledged.
The Revolution Began With Korbut
When Olga Korbut performed her famous back flip on the balance beam, the entire sports world was up in arms: it was a death-defying stunt. Now, it's almost the norm. How do you view this phenomenon - and Korbut herself who, incidentally, recently made a scandalous statement in Komsomolskaya Pravda regarding the role of coaches in the lives of gymnasts from that era?
As a gymnast, Olga was astoundingly gifted and talented. Yet her temperament was always rather difficult. Both her personal coach, Renald Knysh, and I were saddled with the unenviable task of putting up with all her whims. But whenever she stepped onto the competition floor and demonstrated what she was capable of, I could forgive her every eccentricity. Nowadays, I sometimes find myself reflecting on the fact that I had wonderful, lovely girls on my team - girls with easygoing natures. Yet when they stepped onto the floor, their performance felt somewhat lackluster. With gymnasts like Olga Korbut, life is certainly never dull; but then again, they are truly magnificent when it comes to their work - to the sport of gymnastics itself.
I recall a specific indicent that took place during an exhibition tour in Australia. Even back then, I felt that Olga Korbut's unique brilliance as a gymnast entitled her to a certain degree of leniency. However, Knysh demanded her absolute and unconditional compliance with his every instruction. Consequently, conflicts would frequently arise - whether the gymnast was flouting team rules or simply acting out like a spoiled child. Then, one evening after practice, the door to my hotel room suddenly burst open; there in the hallway, Knysh was dragging Korbut along - she was seated on the floor, digging her heels into the carpet in stubborn resistance. The coach hauled Olga into my room and shouted: "Larisa Semyonovna! Do whatever you want with her, but I refuse to work with her anymore!" It was yet anbother desperate cry of exasperation on his part - his student had finally driven him to the brink.
And although Korbut never once became the all-around champion - neither at the Olympic Games nor at the World Championships, winning only in individual events and the team competition - it was precisely with her that a new era in gymnastics began. Indeed, a revolution.
Yes, but this revolution sparked so much controversy within the sports community! Parents began to feel apprehensive about enrolling their children in gymnastics. Were there, in fact, any negative consequences stemming from the introduction of "Ultra-C" elements into gymnasts' routines?
Let me put it this way: everyone's life unfolds exactly as fate intended, and the execution of high-difficulty elements has absolutely nothing to do with it. Those who were destined to become mothers did so. Olga Korbut, for instance, has a son. Larisa Petrik has two children, Lyubov Burda - who, in her youth, famously executed her signature 'full-twisting release' on the uneven bars - later gave birth to two wonderful sons. Masha Filatova - who was often dismissively labeled a mere 'stunt performer' and whose physique was considered far from ideal - is now happily raising a daughter. And then there is Olga Mostepanova; competing long after Korbut had retired - at a time when the very elements Olga had pioneered had become standard fare in gymnasts' daily routines - she went on to become the mother of no fewer than five children. In short, across every generation of gymnasts - from my own era right up to the present day - the vast majority of athletes, both famous and lesser-known, have successfully fulfilled that fundamental female role: bringing a child into the world. Admittedly, some do remain childless. But then again, in everyday life, not every woman becomes a mother either - for a multitude of reasons. Thus, whether or not one takes up gymnastics has absolutely no bearing on the matter.
Fear Must Be Overcome From Childhood
However, in your view, are there any recommendations capable of safeguarding a female athlete engaged in this sport against undesirable consequences?
If any negative consequences do arise from participating in our sport, I believe the blame lies with both the gymnasts themselves and their personal coaches. One must always listen to oneself - to one's own body. I have always advocated for the establishment of a deeply trusting and positive relationship between the coach and the gymnast. If an athlete complains of any pain, or states that she is exhausted and unable to continue training, the coach is obligated to stop the session immediately. Nothing should ever be forced against one's physical limits; for it is precisely in such a state that injuries occur.
My first coaches - Mikhail Afanasyevich Sotnichenko from Kherson (who is now 84 years old) and Alexander Semyonovich Mishakov (who, sadly, is no longer with us) - were deeply humane individuals. For this, I am unspeakably grateful to them.
At what age should one currently start training girls?
I believe that, just as in the past, children should start at the age of six. Starting any later is not ideal. Psychologists consider this age to be optimal for beginning artistic gymnastics training; starting later may lead to a fear of the apparatuses - a fear that subsequently proves difficult to overcome.
Gymnastics In The 21st Century
How will we see gymnastics in the 21st century? Or is it too early to say?
Just twenty years ago, no one imagined that such difficult elements would become the norm for the majority of gymnasts. This came about primarily thanks to improvements in equipment, apparatuses, and training facilities. Nowadays, even the floor exercise mat is made of a springy material that assists the athlete in executing acrobatic leaps. For example, Khorkina - who is quite tall by gymnastic standards (165 centimeters) - is able to perform her tricks on the uneven bars only because the current apparatus differs fundamentally from the bars used even a decade ago. She would not have been able to work on the bars that we used back in our day. After all, we even performed our floor exercises on bare parquet flooring. Every era brings its own possibilities. When I watch archival footage from my youth and see how my teammates and I competed, it brings a smile to my face. Yet, what were we doing back then was, in fact, the most difficult work in the world for that time. What comes next? I believe, without a doubt, that gymnastics will continue on a path of constant evolution.
And if you were to start all over agin, what would you choose: ballet or gymnastics?
For a long time, I thought I had never fulfilled my lifelong dream - to become a ballerina - and I regretted it. As I grew older, I realized that it was simply destined to be this way. After all, my life in gymnastics was filled with many happy moments.
The Government Did Not Value Us
How do you feel about patriotism in sports? It's a subject that is frequently debated these days.
I believe it all comes down to how a person is raised. One can move to another country, work there, earn a living, and yet love their homeland with all their heart.
The fact that athletes now have the opportunity to earn money is a good thing. And the fact that they are paid for their athletic achievements is also perfectly normal. Back in our day, we were selfless - we competed for the love of the sport, not for financial gain. Yet even in our time, some athletes went to great lengths - knocking on every door and even attempting to sue the Sports Committee - in an effort to claim what was, in essence, rightfully due to them. Others, however - myself included - did not take that path. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing is difficult to say now; pursuing such claims back then would have exacted a heavy toll on our energy and health. The only real pity is that our country's leadership - the government - failed to adequately appreciate the dedication and sacrifice we gave. Even now, I sometimes feel a sense of shame when, in conversation with foreign colleagues, I am compelled to tell them that the 'presidential pension' for multiple Olympic champions - of whom there are, admittedly, very few - amounts to a mere sixty dollars. And even that sum is reserved only for the select few; others must make do with as little as 20...
What are you doing right now?
Primarily, I focus on my family and home. However, I do not shy away from public activities - far from it - provided I consider them necessary and timely. I absolutely love growing flowers. Rose bushes, hydrangeas, and irises grow all around our country home. I have a particular fondness for roses in pastel shades. I take special pride in my irises, which come in unusual brown and deep burgundy hues. Believe me, it's truly beautiful - especally when the flowers remain uncut.
L. KOVALEVA