“Right now, I feel fantastic. All the bad stuff is over, everything has healed.” When someone speaks words like these, you know something incredible is about to happen. And believe us, many are witnessing the truth of those words unfold on the gymnastics mat. Yes, those words were spoken by a remarkable gymnast to the Olympics.com in February this year, just before heading to the Cottbus World Cup. It would be her 21st time competing there—something she’s been doing since 1989. So, too old for gymnastics? That’s for you to decide. The 2025 Cottbus World Cup has come and gone. And Oksana Chusovitina stepped onto the platform to prove, once again, that age is just a number. At 49 years old, she secured her 16th vault medal (bronze) in her 21st appearance at the event. But she wasn’t done yet!

Enter the FIG Apparatus World Cup in Baku. The Uzbek gymnast, still feeling ‘fantastic,’ wasn’t about to let the moment slip away. On March 8, that feeling carried her all the way to victory in the women’s vault competition. In the final, her 1.5 twisting Tsukahara vault left the crowd in awe. There she was—unstoppable, ageless, defying every limit! The gymnastics fans, meanwhile, didn’t miss the moment. They poured their emotions into the comment section when Gymnastics Memories shared a clip of her performance on YouTube today.

One such comment stood out: “That Tsukahara layout one and a half was great. I can’t believe she’s still plugging away at this sport. It’s unreal.” Because really—how do you put into words what she’s doing? Maybe you don’t. Maybe you just watch in awe. One must also note that Oksana has been doing this after surviving one of the toughest years of her career—2024. 

Last year, Oksana was on track to secure her spot at the Paris Olympics. A ninth Olympic appearance was well within reach, with no major obstacles in her way. All she needed to do was compete and finish as the highest eligible athlete in the all-around standings at the Asian Gymnastics Championships in Tashkent. But just before she could make that happen, an injury during podium training changed everything. Forced to withdraw from the AGC, she had to watch her dream slip away. Since then, the gymnastics world has witnessed unforgettable moments, including Simone Biles making history by winning the Olympic all-around title at 27. Yet, despite everything, Chusovitina refuses to fade into the background.

At 49, this gymnastics legend isn’t slowing down—she’s still chasing her dream. She’s got her sights set on the LA Olympics, proving that passion knows no age. And even three years from now, when she turns 53, she won’t let that stop her. Because for her, it’s never been about the number—it’s about the love of the sport, the thrill of the competition, and the fire that still burns inside her. That’s why Chusovitina didn’t take minutes to say something brave to the Olympics.com. Her obvious words just came out, “If [LA 2028] happens, it happens. If not, then no. But I will try, and I will give it everything I’ve got.”

The gymnastics fans needed this desperation from her on the mat. And now, after the Baku World Cup, they have it. So, it’s no surprise that fans and fellow athletes are showering the Olympian with admiration and praise. Evidence? Just look at the comment box!

Gymnastics fans give the legend her flowers 

“She is returning down the pyramid and showing that you don’t have to retire once you reach the pinacle of your career in sport. It is perfectly acceptable to come down the scale. What she is doing while competing against the young gymnasts coming up the pyramid is providing inspiration.” Let us tell you something amazing. At the Baku World Cup, Oksana Chusovitina beat Teja Belak and Tjasa Kysselaf while winning the top podium in the women’s vault competition. Both these gymnasts weren’t even born (Teja Belak is 30 years old and Tjasa Kysselaf is 31) when Oksana started her elite gymnastics career. So, see the pyramid the veteran has formed, and she still remains inspiring. The fans undoubtedly want her to continue in that form only. Among them, someone had another request. 

The fan wrote in the comment box, “Phenomenal! I think she’ll be on the world cup circuit for many years to come :).” Notably, Oksana has been in the mix since 1989. And if she keeps toppling barriers in such a form, then there are many more World Cups waiting for her. 

In the meantime, someone wrote, “An absolute LEGEND.” Someone went one step further by penning, “I tip my hat to you and your continued achievements. ” Till now, Oksana has two Olympic medals: one silver in horse vault from Beijing 2008 and one gold for team all-around from Barcelona 1992. What can be the final count? Drop your guess.