rediff.com
News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

Rediff.com  » Sports » Sochi Olympics: Take a look at how thirty-somethings dominate!
This article was first published 10 years ago

Sochi Olympics: Take a look at how thirty-somethings dominate!

February 15, 2014 11:12 IST

Image: Alla Tsuper of Belarus celebrates after her run in the Freestyle Skiing Ladies' Aerials Finals.
Photographs: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Extreme Winter Sports have so far been the domain of the young and hip at the Sochi Winter Games, but on Friday a trio of 'thirty-somethings' dominated the women's aerials event.

The International Olympic Committee hopes to win over a whole new generation of winter sports fans by including disciplines such as halfpipe, slopestyle and aerials.

But Alla Tsuper, a 34-year-old Belarusian athlete, showed that age was no barrier to winning gold when she flipped and twisted to the women's aerials title.

Sochi Olympics: Take a look at how thirty-somethings dominate!

Image: Gold medalist Alla Tsuper of Belarus celebrates during the flower ceremony.
Photographs: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Tsuper conceded that she thought she might have missed her chance of gold four years ago.

"To be honest, I did feel a moment like that in Vancouver, when I made it to the final but I didn't win a medal, and I thought that was it," said Tsuper, who only returned to the sport in August following the birth of her daughter.

"I thought that maybe for me this was my final Olympics and I would never perform in the Games again. But then I had a break for two years, I had a daughter, and I was offered another chance."

Sochi Olympics: Take a look at how thirty-somethings dominate!

Image: Silver medalist Xu Mengtao of China celebrates during the flower ceremony.
Photographs: Clive Mason/Getty Images

The silver medal went to China's Xu Mengtao, who at 23 was nine years younger than Australian bronze medallist Lydia Lassila. The remaining finalist was 31-year-old Li Nina from China.

Lassila, the Vancouver Olympics champion, was delighted for Tsuper.

"I'm so happy for Alla, I really love this girl, she's a great competitor. She's been around for a long time, we've pretty much come up together," the Australian told reporters.

Sochi Olympics: Take a look at how thirty-somethings dominate!

Image: Bronze medalist Lydia Lassila of Australia shows her emotion.
Photographs: Clive Mason/Getty Images

"She's had a lot to go through as well. We're both mums, we have that comparison now. I know what she's going through and I think she knows what I've gone through to be here and be the best we can be.

"She jumped her heart out all week and tonight, and she's so deserving of this medal," Lassila added.

Tags: Lassila

Sochi Olympics: Take a look at how thirty-somethings dominate!

Image: From left, Silver medalist Xu Mengtao of China, gold medalist Alla Tsuper of Belarus and bronze medalist Lydia Lassila of Australia celebrate on the podium.
Photographs: Clive Mason/Getty Images

After a week where medals rained down on the younger generation in snowboarding and freestyle skiing, Tsuper was asked why women of her age had dominated the aerials.

"We just know what we want, and we go forward to achieve it," she said with a knowing smile.

Tags: Tsuper
Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.