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Sveta's Route to Glory

Russia is a country with a deep and strong gymnastics tradition. When you think of Russian gymnastics, names like Yurchenko, Shaposhnikova. Andrianov and Arkaev come to mind. But, as legendary as Russia's gymnastics history is, its present is just as exciting and at the moment, the best of all is Svetlana Khorkina.

Svetlana Khorkina is best known for her supremacy on the uneven bars. She won gold on the apparatus at the Olympics in 1996 and 2000, at the World Championships in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2001, and at the European Championships in 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2002. She is also a very capable all-around competitor, having won the all-around title at the World Championships in 1997 and 2001, and at the European Championships in 1998, 2000 and 2002.

She seems to have it all, as those above are just a few of her many accomplishments, but in her career, there are ups and downs too. At the 1999 World Championships, Russia was in position to win the women's team competition, but Khorkina's fall from balance beam in the final rotation allowed Romania to claim the gold. In the attempt to defend her all-around title, Khorkina finished 12th after struggles on beam and vault. The 1999 worlds were not a total failure for Khorkina, though -- in the apparatus finals, she won gold on uneven bars and bronze on floor. But it appeared that Khorkina's career was winding down. In post-meet press conferences she hinted at retirement, fueling speculation that Khorkina had lost her will to continue.

Every time you count Svetlana Khorkina out, she comes back, even stronger. Khorkina entered the new millennium and came out swinging. At 21, she hit the Grand Prix/World Cup circuit in 2000, boasting re-vamped routines and a fresh spark, flirting with the press and delighting fans. The judges noticed the change too, as Khorkina's European win attests. Khorkina's European repeat stunned many who predicted she'd passed her prime after a so-so performance at '99 worlds.

After the controversy at the 2000 Olympics, there was again rumours of her retirement. But she came back to win the gold medal after gold medal at the 2001 World Championships in Ghent and the 2002 Europeans Championships in Patras. Perhaps she just enjoys proving people wrong.

After all, early coaches told her she'd never be a gymnast.

Khorkina has been training with Boris Pilkin since she began in the sport in 1985. They have a close relationship that almost didn't materialize. Pilkin originally thought Svetlana was too tall for gymnastics, but his wife persuaded him to coach the young athlete. He developed special training methods for her height and build.

Khorkina is one of the tallest elite gymnasts in the world. To best utilize her height and long lines, which fans seem to either love or loathe, she emphasizes grace and style, while still performing maneuvers that are challenging and athletic. Khorkina is unlike any other gymnast in the sport today. Easy to spot among her fellow gymnasts, Khorkina welcomes the spotlight at all times. "I want to be recognized from a half-mile away," she says.

She is unashamedly sensual, a rarity in gymnastics where "cute" is more often what the crowd wants. Despite a mild uproar, she refused to apologize for topless pics that appeared in Russian Playboy saying that even her parents felt she looked beautiful. It is obvious that Khorkina is a woman in a sport of little girls. But can this woman continue to succeed when the little girls are getting better all the time? Thus far, she is still unstoppable on her speciality, the uneven bars, and is the leader of a strong Russian team.

Though some criticize Khorkina's coquettish ways, you have to admire her longevity and the creativity she has brought to the sport (she's the only gymnast in the current Code with a skill named after her on each event). Even if she never wins another meet, her mark on the sport has already been made. But, whatever you do, don't count her out.