Apparently, age really is just a number.
In an unexpected outcome, 25- year-old former UCLA gymnast
Mohini Bhardwaj was named to the U.S. women’s gymnastics
Olympic team Sunday night.
The announcement capped off a tumultuous two months for
Bhardwaj, who had trouble funding her bid for Athens, Greece, with
nearly everyone discounting her ability to seriously contend in the
2004 Olympic Games due to her age.
Thanks to financial and emotional support from actress Pamela
Anderson however, Bhardwaj got through her first obstacle and
immediately began fighting the perception brought on by her
age.
“All these girls have been working for this for four
years,” Bhardwaj told The Associated Press. “I’ve
been working for it for 12. I don’t think it’s really
hit me yet. I’m still in shock.”
At the U.S. Olympic Trials in June Bhardwaj showed that she
could more than keep up with the much younger competition, as she
claimed a sixth-place showing at the two-day event in Anaheim.
Although the finish didn’t earn her an automatic Olympic
berth, U.S. gymnastics team officials were impressed enough by her
performance to offer the former Bruin a spot on the Olympic
training squad, which was used to decide the four remaining spots
on the team.
The training squad, which consisted of 15 gymnasts, trained July
11-18 in Houston, Texas, and in that span Bhardwaj evidently
impressed U.S. Olympic officials enough to earn a trip to Athens
this summer.
Prior to making the team, Bhardwaj seemed absolutely
determined.
“I talked to her, and she told me, “˜I’m going
to make this team,'” UCLA coach Valorie Kondos Field
said.
“When (Bhardwaj) sets her mind to something, she’s
unstoppable,” she added.
As the second-oldest gymnast on the team, Bhardwaj is expected
to provide her younger teammates with plenty of experience.
At UCLA from 1998-2001, Bhardwaj was named an All-American 11
times, and she won two individual and team NCAA titles. She
was also a U.S. National Team member for eight years.
Bhardwaj is considered one of the greatest vaulters in UCLA
history, an event that she’s expected to excel at in
Athens.
“I expect her to do great in Athens,” Kondos Field
said. “No one in the world can outvault her.”
And, though she was labeled old and an underdog, Bhardwaj
prevailed in Sunday’s announcement. But highly touted
incoming Bruin freshman Tasha Schwikert had no such luck.
Schwikert, a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team and heavily
favored to earn a repeat trip to the Summer Games, received only an
alternate spot on the team.
“I’m a little surprised Tasha didn’t make the
team,” Kondos Field said, “but I know her body has its
toll. Tasha’s body needs a break.”
So while the younger Bruin is left to rest up this summer, the
older Bruin prepares for one last chance at stardom.
Indeed, age really is just a number.