”It was really nice. I cried tears of happiness because so many people have supported me for a long time," Chusovitina told the International Federation of Gymnastics.
Gymnast Oksana Chusovitina of Uzbekistan was given an emotional standing ovation from her fellow athletes during the Tokyo Olympics in what would be her eighth and final Olympic Games.
Chusovitina competed with two vaults during the qualifying round in Tokyo and earned an average score of 14.166, during the opening day of the women’s competition The score was not considered high enough for her to move onto the next week’s finals, CBS News reported.
After her final performance on the vault, it was a beautiful moment for the 46-year-old eight-time Olympian, who received cheers, tears, photos, and praise from her peers despite the lack of fans present.
”It was really nice. I cried tears of happiness because so many people have supported me for a long time," Chusovitina told the International Federation of Gymnastics.
"I didn't look at the results, but I feel very proud and happy. I'm saying goodbye to sports.”
Chusovitina's exceptional career spans decades. She has represented several countries at the Olympics including the Soviet Union, Germany, and the Unified Team, and she's taken home 11 medals at 17 world championships. Her first Games were in 1992 with the Soviets, where she won a gold medal in the team event, according to The New York Times.
Wearing a green leotard with the No.8, to symbolize her eighth Olympic appearance, she posed for photos with competitors, the Times reported.
Chusovitina, who has a 22-year-old son, said that she hopes to spend more time with her family. Her husband competed at the Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling.
“I think it’s time now, really,” Chusovitina told the Times. “I want to be a mom and a wife."
