First Medal for the Neutral Athletes at Paris Olympics
- AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
Ultimately it didn’t matter. He was easily the best in the finals, keeping his jumps near the center of the trampoline while putting together an intricate series of flips and twists that sent him soaring two stories in the air.
Bardzilouskaya’s score of 56.060 was just behind Britain gold medalist Bryony Page’s tally of 56.480 in the eight-woman final. Sophiane Methot of Canada earned bronze at 55.650.
The 19-year-old Bardzilouskaya, like Litvinovich, did not pay much attention to any of the colors being waved in the stands among a crowd of over 10,000 fans that at one point did “The Wave” while she and others competed.
“I tried to focus on what I’m doing, and I tried to correct my mistakes and therefore it was so-so overall I think,” Bardzilouskaya stated.
Individual athletes with Russian or Belarusian passports were allowed to compete as neutrals if they qualified and then were approved for entry to the Olympics.
Bardzilouskaya did not compete internationally for two years following sanctions by the International Gymnastics Federation after the war with Ukraine began in February 2022. She participated in domestic meets trying to stay sharp but admitted it was difficult at times.
Anindya Bakrie Praises Indonesian Athletes' Spirit at Paris Olympics
Chef de Mission (CdM) of the Indonesian contingent for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Anindya Novyan Bakrie, welcomed the arrival of the Indonesian contingent.
