Lafayette trampoline gymnast looks for 2nd consecutive Olympic appearance
Shostak was born in Belarus but calls Lafayette home. He attended Lafayette High School and the University of Louisiana Lafayette.
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- For Allaksei Shostak, the next week and half brings an Olympic Trial appearance, and the opportunity to make his second consecutive U.S. Olympic Team in trampoline.
Shostak was born in Belarus, but calls Lafayette home. He attended Lafayette High School (Class of 2013) and the University of Louisiana Lafayette. He now lives in Youngsville. His father Aliaksandr is a two-time Olympian in Artistic Gymnastics, representing the country of Belarus in 1996 and 2000.
Shostak says he's ready. "I've evolved as an athlete, not only physically, but mentally," Shostak said. "And so I think I have the correct skill set and the correct the health. And I'm just working on, you know, it's I wouldn't describe it so much of a grind, but just tweaking, like fine tuning. This is a very technical sport."
In Tokyo, he experienced a bit of heartbreak, as his routine didn't go as planned. But, he bounced back in 2023 to win the US Trampoline Championship, and earned the 2023 World team all around champion.
Allaksei knows drawing on the past, will be the key to the future. "So as long as you're learning from, you know, not only like big events in your life, like the Olympic Games for me, but also just in the day, in the day out, if you're taking the lessons and being present with every moment, I think it definitely makes you a better athlete," he said.
Allaksei hopes his routine is better than before. He's been working on his Olympic Trial Routine for more than a year.