(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Simone Biles is the most decorated artistic gymnast in the United States. But the most decorated rhythmic gymnast hails from Orland Park, and is on her way to Paris.
This will be Olympics No. 2 for Evita Griskenas. But it’s try No. 3.
“In 2016, when I didn’t qualify for the Rio Olympics - and I knew I wanted to qualify for Tokyo - I ended up getting a little journal. And I decided, every single day, I’m gonna write three things that make me happy, or three things that I want to remember. And so I’ve been doing that since,” Griskenas said.
She did qualify for Tokyo, despite some bad days at the North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center in Deerfield.
“Sometimes you can definitely tell when it was a tough training day, because it’ll be like, ‘The moon was pretty. I pet my cat. I saw a flower.’”
The entry for Nov. 2, 2023, was much peppier. On that day Griskenas qualified for Paris, by winning silver at the Pan-American Games despite breaking her foot mid-routine. She also won bronze medals in all four rhythmic disciplines: ball, hoop, clubs, and ribbon.
And of those disciplines, Griskenas likes them all.
“I think each composition, each routine, is just so unique to the music, and the style, and the emotion that you’re trying to portray, that it’s almost unfair to pit, let’s say, my like jovial clubs against my, like, more dramatic hoop, because they’re just so different.”
Griskenas has been working on her current routine for the better part of a year, eight hours a day perfecting every step, throw, twirl, and bounce.
However, it’s not just eight hours of practice she endures for her training. Griskenas is used to some very long commutes to practice.
“Leave my house around seven. Wait in traffic, for a while, arrive around 8:30, train til, say, 12:00, have a little break, two-three hours, then do another three-to-four hour training (depending on the day), finishing up with some physical therapy, and heading home.”
She’s been going up and back to her gym in Deerfield since she was four-years-old. Even when Griskenas was a student at Columbia, in New York City.
“I’d say the most fun experience is traveling with a hoop. You try to get it through TSA, and you’re like, ‘Hi, can I please have a hand check?’ And they’re like, ‘...what is this. Why are you traveling with a hula hoop? Are you a hula hoop dancer?’ And at this point I’m like, “Yeah, yeah, that’s exactly what I am.’”
Of course, she’s not really. Griskenas is an eleven-time gold medalist at the Pan-American Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships, even sweeping the ball, hoop, club and ribbon disciplines in 2017.
Despite those long days, she has been using her Olympic dream as a final motivator to reach her goals.
“Sometimes when you have a rough training, I’ll try to be like: Okay, let’s pretend we’re at the Olympic Games right now. Think about that emotion, think about that feeling, visualize it, and go for it.”
With her previous Olympic experience, Griskenas is able to visualize a lot, but not everything.
“It was a bit odd though, because there were no spectators, which made it a little bit unusual to compete. Let's say that because in rhythmic, it's a lot about that emotional exchange with the audience. And then of course there were no friends, family, fans who were able to come and watch and cheer you on in person.”
Her chance to medal, after finishing 12th in Tokyo comes near the end of these Games in Paris.
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