Turkish Woman Is Ready for the Games and Her Next Challenge

BOLU, Turkey — In this mountain city, cows meander on a dirt road behind the training center where Goksu Uctas, Turkey’s first Olympic gymnast, works on a four-inch balance beam.

Five years ago, Uctas and the Turkish gymnastics program were barely on the map. But after a successful showing in January at London’s Olympic test event, Uctas, 22, earned a berth to the Games’ all-around final.

“I always dreamed I would go to the Olympics,” she said, sitting on the floor exercise carpet during a break from training. “I am honored to represent Turkey, to be the first.”

Her inclusion in the Olympics signifies a turning point for the sport. The international gymnastics federation is using London to expand its global reach, by including more solo athletes from countries like Turkey and Vietnam, which is represented by Phan Thi Ha Thanh, the 2011 world vault bronze medalist.

As part of that quest, the international federation decided to cut the size of teams to five gymnasts from six, limiting the number of athletes sent from traditional powers. Some have argued that the move takes away spots from more qualified athletes.

Indeed, Uctas’s routines are unlikely to land her on the medals podium — her levels of difficulty are several points below those of the top gymnasts. Her Yurchenko vault features one and a half twists, compared with at least two for each American vaulter. But her victory is the trip itself.