Samara, 17 June 2016. PenzaNews. Ivan Tanasov, head of the Penza youth innovation center “Sputnik,” presented the two-times Olympic champion Svetlana Khorkina with a “lucky boomerang” during the athlete’s meeting with participants of iVolga youth forum in the Samara region, which took place on Friday, June 17.

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“This is a ‘lucky boomerang’; I would like to give it to you. Thank you very much for your achievements, thank you very much for being an example to us. You told once that you lacked a bit more luck in your life at times. Today, you did a lot for us, and for me in particular. I would like this boomerang to be constantly bringing luck back to you,” he said, explaining that the boomerang was laser-cut out of wood.

Svetlana Khorkina thanked him for the present, and asked to refrain from throwing it towards her.

Receiving the present from Ivan Tarasov, the athlete inspected the gift and praised the beautiful design.

“Is it Africa-inspired? […] I’ve been to Africa,” she said.

In turn, the young man told Svetlana Khorkina how to use the boomerang.

“The design must be facing you, and you must hold it at a slight angle. But this is how the father of my future wife is throwing it,” he explained, adding that one should not attempt to catch a boomerang during the rebound flight to avoid injuries.

“Thank you very much. I like presents! But, frankly, to be true, I never could throw this thing right. Do you even know how bad I was at grenade-throwing drills at school? You don’t have any PE in schools right now – just sitting lessons; and we were throwing grenades. I was throwing very badly, to be honest,” the Olympic champion confessed.

During her meeting with the youth, Svetlana Khorkina took an opportunity to share her experiences from the athlete’s recent visit to Penza.