Beijing Olympic Games' Oldest Female Gymnast Vaults Her Way To Silver Medal

Beijing, China (CNS) - The Beijing Olympics saw the oldest female gymnast of the 2008 Games push herself to the top of the pack, earning herself a silver medal on Sunday on the vault against gymnasts half her age. Oksana Chusovitina, 33, considered a veteran against her rivals, proved age was not a factor by beating out her younger competitors. Chusovitina, who now represents Germany, earned her first individual Olympic medal after appearing for three teams in her fifth year of Olympic Games.

In 1992, Chusovitina made her debut at the Barcelona Olympics, where she earned her team a gold medal for the Unified team of ex-Soviet Union states.

In 1993, she went back to her represent her native country of Uzbekistan, but moved to her current team of Germany because she needed medical treatment for her son, who was battling Alisher's leukemia.

"This medal is for my son," she said. "I can't say how happy I am."

According to AFP, Chusovitina hopes to travel to the 2012 Olympics in London to continue competing.

"By then I'll be 37, if I can I'll do a sixth Olympics," she said. "I still love gymnastics and I still have fun every day."

Shanna Poljakova, Chusovitina's coach, says most of her competitors consider her just one of the girls, even though she is almost twice their age.

"She thinks like any other girl here," she said. "She sits with them, she talks with them, she doesn't need to play an older role."

Chusovitina has been competing at a national level since 1991 and has three gold, three silver and four bronze medals under her belt. She went on to say, "I don't feel 33, I feel 18."