Arthur Nory's new motivation: Back to the roots 

Brazilian gymnast Arthur Nory is finding inspiration bigger than himself as he begins his quest for a third Olympic Games.

The 28-year-old has reached the highest echelons of his sport, capturing an Olympic bronze medal on the floor at a home Games at Rio 2016 and winning the world title on the horizontal bar in 2019.

Now, he has inspiration beyond just medals: his team and his mother.

When Nory made his 2022 debut last month at the Brazil Trophy, the nation’s individual apparatus championships, he competed on five of the six events. It was a departure from previous years where Nory focused on his specialties, but part of helping his national squad.

When he competes next, likely the Pan American Championships next month, he hopes to compete on all six.

“I'm preparing, preparing myself, my body for the next competition because I know it's a good for the team, [to compete] my floor. So, we will focus on the team to qualify to the world championship this year and to qualify to Paris 2024,” said Nory in an exclusive interview with Olympics.com. “I know that as a team we can give more strength. We can be stronger as a team.”

Andrade inspires with Tokyo history

The all-around is a return to Nory’s roots. He competed in the all-around at Rio, finishing 11th in the final and made the finals at the 2013-15 worlds, before specializing from 2017-2022.

It’s a welcome return, says Nory.

“I know for me, it's better doing more events because I'm happier and happy to be performing them and being in competitions where I have goals, like Pan American, South American Games and World Championship,” he explained. “For me to be there, I have to do more events because it's a team competition and that's made me happy.”

A year ago, he found happiness watching his close friend, Rebeca Andrade, make history at the Olympic Games. She became the first Latin American woman to win a medal in the all-around final and the first Brazilian to claim gymnastics Olympic gold.

“I’ve been close to Rebeca since she was a kid, since she was supposed to compete at the Youth Olympic Games in 2014 and she hurt her feet and couldn’t compete. We already knew she was a phenomenon, she always was. She always faced obstacles,” he said in Portuguese.

“She was so confident and so prepared for these Tokyo Games, it was beautiful to watch her training, her concentration. I remember a moment before the Olympics, before traveling to Tokyo, that the whole team was in a room,” he continued, beaming with pride. “The coaches spoke, the whole staff spoke, and she was the only athlete that raised her hand to speak to everyone. She was so mature about it. I even get chills remembering it. She said, ‘This Olympics to me is not a dream, it’s a goal. I worked so hard to be here so now I’m going to enjoy it, focus on doing my best, because I know I’m ready.’”

Arthur Nory: Motivated by his mum

Nory has also found motivation in doing his best for his mum, Nadna Oyakawa. Just prior to last season’s world championships, Oyakawa suffered a hemorrhagic stroke that has caused motor deficiencies.

With her son by her side, Oyakawa is slowly recovering. Nory posted a video in November, dancing with his mom for her birthday.

“She slowly can move her arm, she can walk slowly... Her speaking is getting a little bit better every day, but all the memories, she can remember everything,” he said of his mum’s condition. “She’s good. She's here with me and I am watching her and helping her to write again – now, with the left hand and walking and doing physiotherapy.”

As his mum recovers, he uses it as motivation what he still feels he has left to accomplish in the sport.

“An Olympic gold medal,” he said succinctly of his goals. “I'm working so hard. It's a goal, but I know it's a consequence of the work, all the work. So, I'm working for that, to reach that goal, to win another Olympic medal because it's a very special moment for all athletes.”

Made even more special by whom he hopes will be there to witness it.

“I think that I will fight. I will fight every day to be on the team and be in Paris,” Nory said, “then my mom, she will be fine to be there and see me competing.”