Less than two years before the Olympics, Arthur Zanetti, the greatest icon of men’s gymnastics, put his career together and seized the opportunity to give a “blow” to Brazil’s potential in Paris.
The Olympic champion noted the importance of Ukrainian Oleg Ostapenko, the coach who died in 2021, for the victorious path of Brazilian gymnastics. Legacy, achievements, investment, vision and structure were some of the topics mentioned.
Check out Zanetti’s exclusive interview with Yahoo Sports.
Yahoo Sports: First, how is your heart less than two years away from the Paris Olympics? Worry?
Arthur Zanetti: Well, two years left, quick. I’m not too worried yet, but I think once we get into next year, when we’re competing in the worlds and pre-Olympics, it will give more anxiety and desire to arrive soon to see the outcome.
Did the Olympic and World Champion bring more calm or demands and difficulties to the competition fray?
Both. Being an Olympic and world champion, you sometimes enter the competition more relaxed because the opponents are a little afraid. Gee, the Olympic champion is right there. At the same time, you have that demand for being a world champion, an Olympic champion, and you want to keep leveling up there and end up asking for more to get the score.
Who can surprise in the Brazilian and world artistic gymnastics? What name?
At the moment they are the same athletes who participated in the last Olympic Games. There was a European player now and no new athlete appeared, so at the moment they are the same.
Brazil is seeing a rise in artistic gymnastics, athletics and swimming, and we’re already starting to do well. How was the preparation and planning done? Clubs, incentive policies, what really happened behind the scenes of Brazilian Olympic sports?
Gymnastics is at a very good height because it brings sponsorship to the federation and then you can plan better and go to some important competitions. With this you can prepare the athletes better and the older athletes end up being a source of inspiration for great results. Good results pay off, in general, in gymnastics.
Is this current generation one of the best in history?
Well, if it comes to team results, I think it was the better generation. Of course, every generation has had its moment, an athlete, and I think this moment is very good for men’s gymnastics, both as a team and in individual results. It doesn’t focus on just one athlete. Other athletes achieve this result as well. So, this is important and you can say that we pay for the result. If the result, yes. He is one of the best generations we live in.
Have you ever stopped to think about the legacy of artistic gymnastics in a country that doesn’t give a clear view of Brazilian Olympic sport?
We always stop to think about the legacy we can leave. But this legacy that we will build every day, every workout we do in the gym is really a reference for the new generation. That’s it, the results we got are really a legacy we left with gyms, and good equipment, that makes the new generation able to train better. Then we will achieve more.
I recently spoke to Lais Souza to talk about the legacy left by Oleg. In fact, was it the revolution that changed the standard of Brazil?
I think the level that Brazil was in the past and today is the will. Not that others didn’t like it, but the coaches started to study more, to get a better knowledge of the technical part. Athletes began to believe that it was possible to achieve international victories and results and that’s why men’s gymnastics took that leap. Today we are one of the best teams in the world.
