Don't be afraid if things seem difficult in the beginning. That's only the initial impression. The important thing is not to retreat; you have to master yourself.
Its better to have a rich soul than to be rich.
This ability to conquer oneself is no doubt the most precious of all things sports bestows.
The important thing is not to retreat; you have to master yourself.
I am not interested in medals or titles. I dont need them. I need the love of the public and I fight for it.
And from that nineteen sixty four, this was my goal to go to Olympic Games. And I realized what does it mean, Olympic Games, like big celebration.
Anyway I will go same road because I, I was born in gymnastics. This is my, how to say, my life and my duty.
Life is marvelous now because I have a tape recorder.
I think I spent all my life in gymnastics. And if you will ask me I want to change something in your past life, no. I will go same.
And, in nineteen seventy two Olympic Games I wasn't really going to be a star, and overnight I became a star.
I would say this is not negative this is h, a hard part in gymnastics. You can't eat, whatever you want to eat. And what kind of meal you're supposed to have, you can't.
I've never wanted to be anything but a gymnast. Maybe it is dangerous-but when you start thinking about danger, you might as well give up.
I am a great realist in all aspects of life. Whatever I can do ... here it is.
If there has not been such a thing as gymnastics, I would have had to invent it because I feel at one with the sport.
But let me do I will show the world what gymnastics looks like. Well may be this is a future gymnastics.
Up to nineteen seventy six when I quit gymnastics I was very, disappointed because I didn't have anything which is, live with. I didn't have a friend so I didn't have a coach anymore.
How many people in the world is, each of them is individual. And I like to eat bread, somebody don't like that. You know this is the same in gymnastics.
I feel great. I feel younger. And I don't feel anything at all. I don't know who knows, but right now I'm, how, how many years have I, fifty five, something like that. Forty three years old. And I feel like seventeen, like twenty five years ago.
And in nineteen seventy two I almost wasn't, on the team, but I knew about it just before Olympic Games for three months before this why this is was not very good for me. I'd been ready to go, you know.
I think if I wasn't in very high level, I never will be in the team. Cause I was high, in very high level.
Remember before nineteen seventy two Olympic Games I was total skinny, I was small, very strong, they may be don't like to see a gymnastics like that. I don't know but, gymnastics, might. Nineteen seventy two supposed to be change somewhere.
Because up to sixteen years old you feel gymnastics more. You can show your emotion, grace, like woman gymnastics, not kid's gymnastics. I feel I have good shape, and I can do it elements everything, but, it's not competition for me.
I think this is all my life. Because if I was split gymnastics and something else like far, fun or to go with friends. No, this, you're supposed to one go, one straight road and to do every day. And touch the wall, of the goal.
And I suggested to change very simple way to Olympic Games, in one competition, two different levels. Separate from, until sixteen, and after sixteen years old.
Then I was lucky I met with my future husband, and I started new life with my husband, and I was happy again. He was a musician. I start to travel with him through Europe also and around the former Soviet Union.
