“Old Man” Cucherat Hopes Fourth Time’s the Charm!

“Old Man” Cucherat Hopes Fourth Time’s the Charm!

By Chris Korotky and Elizabeth Grimsley

Frenchman Yann Cucherat is prepping for his fourth Olympic Games, but not without a few aches and pains along the way. “I enjoy this sport,” Cucherat said. “It’s difficult because I have a lot of problems with my body– my shoulders, my legs… I have problems with my shoulder tendon [and my biceps]. But my training is still a pleasure. Even with pain, it will be better [because I love the sport]. It’s not a sacrifice.

He has no plans of being done, but when he finally hangs up his grips Cucherat hopes to spread his knowledge to other young aspiring French gymnasts. “When I stop I will be maybe a coach with my federation,” Cucherat said. “But I don’t do this because it’s an obligation; I do it because I like it. Maybe I’ll continue one year because in [2013] there is an individual championships.”

When choosing the leader of the French team, the choice was obvious. “I’m the leader because I’m the old man!” Cucherat laughed. “And maybe because I have more experience, but every gymnast is very professional. When I’m not feeling good, they are there for me too.”

Since this 2012 team captain has “been here and done that” three times before, he uses his experience to aid the younger guys on the team. “I say to them,  ‘just concentrate on the competition’,” Cucherat explained. “And then after you can [take in] the Olympic Games, the Olympic Village [and] the other Olympic competitions. [But for now] just concentrate on our gymnastics– on the competition– like at home. That’s my first advice. It’s very important to enjoy it all.”

And with such a long career there are bound to be many memories than come with it. “[My best Olympic memory is] Sydney– my first Olympic Games,” Cucherat recalled. “Because it was my first experience, it was a dream for me. Just before competition I was afraid, but I came inside and I [felt] very good. I just wanted to make my gymnastics [the best it could be].”

And he will continue to try and do his best at these Games, considering he has had a bit of a rocky road in the past. Cucherat finished sixth on parallel bars at his first two Olympics in 2000 and 2004, but improved his standing in 2005 where he came away from the World Championships with a bronze on parallel bars and a silver on high bar.

After such a successful year, Cucherat was never really the same gymnast he had been in 2005. In 2008 he made it to the parallel bar event finals but only managed eight place. The struggles continued in 2009, when Cucherat earned yet another sixth place showing in the parallel bar final.

With more than 10 years of international competition, Cucherat believes that the fourth time is the charm. “It’s finished; it’s the past,” he said. “Now, I look to the future. I work for this. This competition counts for us, so it’s the reason I’m here.”

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