Bhavsar visits Hoffman, discusses gymnastics, American Cup
Raj Bhavsar, who helped the U.S. men's team win the bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, initially was an alternate to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team but was named to the squad after Paul Hamm withdrew due to an injury.
The former NCAA all-around champion took time out of a recent visit to the Chicago area to talk about gymnastics, the Olympic Games and the Tyson American Cup, scheduled for Feb. 21 at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates.
Q. Tell us about the prestige and history of the Tyson American Cup.
A. Gymnasts all over the world respect this event. They love coming to America and competing here. The fact that so many legendary gymnasts have competed in this event is a testament to the good gymnastics in our country.
Q. How does the Tyson American Cup prepare a gymnast for future competitions?
A. An event like this puts them in the spotlight. As an Olympic-level gymnast, an athlete has to deal with a lot of pressure, such as the media and large crowds.
The Cup gives them a taste of that, and it helps up-and-coming gymnasts get their feet wet. Gymnasts have to be ready to handle these things if they want to succeed.
Q. Your journey to the Olympic Games didn't exactly go as planned because you were named an Olympic alternate twice (2004 and 2008) before competing in Beijing. How has that experience changed you?
A. I've become a believer again in the concrete things in life, such as success principles. I see that living a certain formula for success works for me not only in gymnastics but whatever career path I choose.
Q: Many people didn't give the U.S. men a chance at winning a medal at the Olympic Games. Did that serve as motivation for you?
A. We definitely knew about it. We were in the Olympic Village and reading stories on the Internet about how people thought the U.S. Team was going to do and what their expectations were.
I wouldn't say outrage is the word, but we wanted to prove them wrong. We couldn't allow people's perceptions of what was going to happen get the best of us. The meet hadn't even happened yet.
In our mind, it wasn't fair to predict that because we had some setbacks, our goal wasn't attainable. It was motivation for all of us.
I can't tell you that we knew we were going to win this medal, but I can tell you that we knew we weren't going to give up. We weren't going to concede based on what people thought.
Q. How has gymnastics helped prepare you for any activities or sports that you'd like to try in the future?
A. Gymnastics opens so many doors. I'm not saying that I'm going to go try out for the NFL, but gymnasts possess a unique ability to learn many other sports quickly. I love snowboarding and extreme sports, and I want to stay competitive in some way, shape or form. I'm an athlete for life.
Q. Why is fitness important, even for people who aren't competitive gymnasts?
A. Fitness carries over into so many other things in life. Being physically fit helps give you a level of mental clarity so that you live life in a balanced way.
As gymnasts, we take being in shape for granted because it's just a part of what we do. So when you stop, it's a reality check, and we have to be conscious about staying active.
Q. What's next for you?
A. Recently, I find that my story is inspiring, and people tell me that it touches them on a human level. I love that, and I want to follow up on it.
I want to craft and master my speaking skills and hopefully do some corporate speeches along the way. I want to talk to people about my way of life and what I did to get this great accomplishment.
Maybe someday some little kid who I talked to will gain something from my story and he'll be the next Raj or the next Olympian. For me, that's overwhelming.