For as long as we can remember, the slogan/hashtag for Rio was Road to Rio. Great Britain's hashtag was #everyroadtorio and for the longest time, I couldn't understand it. It wasn't until I saw each gymnast compete at this Games and had time to reflect that I realized what it meant. Every gymnast, or athlete for that matter, has had a different path that brought them to the Rio Olympic Games. For some, their arrival at the Olympic Games seemed inevitable. For others, it was a fight to the last minute to earn their federation's spot. Some were returning Olympians, some were first time Olympians. They all ended up in the same place but each journey was different. I just wanted to take a moment to remember some of these athletes and their magnificent journey to Rio.
I'm not quite sure when I first noticed Giulia Steingruber but I did and I'm glad. She became a senior in 2011 and made event finals on vault at both the European and World Championships. At the time, she was vaulting a Rudi (front handspring 1.5) and a Tsukahara full. She finished 5th in vault event finals. Steingruber was selected as Switzerland's sole representative in London 2012 and knew she needed to hit big vaults to make the vault event finals and have a shot at a medal. She upgraded her second vault to a Tsukahara double twist which she unfortunately fell on and finished 9th, just outside of the top eight spots that make an event final.
But, yes, you read that right. A Tsukahara double twist. That vault was quickly abandoned and for 2013 worlds, Steingruber was back with a new vault. A double twisting Yurchenko. This vault is the favored vault of most gymnasts and if able, gymnasts can upgrade to the ever elusive Amanar or two and a half twisting Yurchenko. However, shortly after learning that, Steingruber suffered from a case of the "twisties." For unknown reason, gymnasts (and other athletes like cheerleaders or divers) develop this fear of twisting and loss of air awareness. Hoping for a few international vault medals, Steingruber was suddenly held back by this mental block. She would vault again but downgrade to a full twisting Yurchenko and suffered a few injuries at competitions sustained on vault.
With divine healing power and fighting spirit, Steingruber was back and dominant. She was training a new vault - a handspring double twist which is not currently in the Code of Points. Steingruber was also rapidly upgrading floor exercise to a difficult routine that would hopefully challenge for a medal.
Steingruber came to Rio with a solid chance for a high all around finish, and a possible vault and floor exercise medal. She decided not to show the new vault and made the vault final anyway. Even better, she showed two clean vaults, a Rudi and a solid DTY that has challenged her time and time again to earn the bronze medal. This was the first ever women's artistic gymnastics Olympic medal for Switzerland. It was a long road from upgrading vaults to switching vault families, having to deal with injuries and mental blocks, but Steingruber did it and has the medal to show for it.
Ellie Black is one of the returning Olympians from London 2012. She turned senior in 2011 and has just continued to improve since then. in 2012, she was given one of the largely contested spots for Team Canada. Her vault and beam routines are what helped her most compliment her teammates and earn that spot. In London, Black qualified to the vault final and helped Team Canada to their highest finish ever - 5th place. She later got injured after doing her first vault in the event final. Since then, Black has just continued to improve. She's attended Universiade Games, Pacific Rim and Pan American Championships, numerous World and Challenge Cups, and has steadily built her name to where it is now. In Rio, the team just missed out on the team final but Black was able to finish the all around final, which she did not make in 2012, in 5th place, the highest ever for a Canadian woman.
Sanne Wevers turned senior in 2007. Yep, 2007! She was eligible for the Beijing and London Olympics but missed out in 2008 and had injuries that essentially kept her out of the running in 2012. Sanne Wevers was always known as a great beamer. In 2013, she had one of the top scores on beam and was a hopeful to make the beam final at worlds. Unfortunately, she fell immediately on her round off full twisting back handspring mount and had several errors afterwards and did not qualify for the event final.
From there, the troubles continued. She remained one of the best beam workers in the Netherlands and in the world but was either unable to make finals due to poor performances or then fell in finals to miss out on medals at both European Championships and World Championships. The end of 2015 is when Wevers' luck seemed to change. At the World Championships, she won the silver medal on balance beam. She continued in 2016 with an upgraded routine that she was able to hit more often than not, both domestically and internationally. At the recent Olympic Games, to the delight of many, Wevers' won the gold medal on balance beam.
What an accomplishment for Sanne Wevers! She went from missing out on 2 Olympics to helping to qualify a team to the 2016 Games and winning the Netherlands first individual women's artistic medal.
There were a few 2014 Youth Olympians that are now 2016 Olympians. Flavia Saraiva, Wang Yan, Ellie Downie, Sae Miyakawa, Seda Tutkhalyan, and Tutya Yilmaz all had a great showing at these Olympic Games.
Tutya Yilmaz of Turkey finished 10th in the all around at the Youth Olympic Games. She also made the vault and floor finals. If you've followed me, you know that I consider Yilmaz the gymnastics love child of Aly Raisman and Alicia Sacramone. She has that same level of attack and poise when competing and has very difficult skills, the highlight being her back handspring layout full on beam. I've wanted to send her to Brestyan's for training camp to work on her consistency but maybe she doesn't need it. After a long wait in preliminaries, Yilmaz had the beam performance of her life with all eyes on her. She nailed every single skill and dismounted with the approval of a roaring crowd. She finished with a 14.5 (6.3 D) and in 13th place on balance beam.
Seda Tutkhalyan was the all around winner at the Youth Olympic Games. She has since continued to show great potential but struggled with consistency. Tutkhalyan was initially not on the provisional Olympic team but with the confirmed absence of Ksenia Afanasyeva, Tutkhalyan was able to fill the hole. Despite earlier worries of consistency, Tutkhalyan managed to beat out Angelina Melnikova for the all around spot, coming in ahead of teammate Aliya Mustafina as well. She performed well again in the team final. Tragedy didn't strike until the all around final where Tutkhalyan, with a real chance at a medal, fell on her balance beam dismount and twice on floor. Despite the heartbreaking performance there, it is important to remember that Tutkhalyan was a rock for the team for both qualifying and the team finals, helping Russia to just beat out China for the bronze medal.
Wang Yan did well in 2015 but then had a very rough start to her 2016 competitive season. She was always on China's team for her strong floor and vaults though it seemed like event finals were out of the question. After some rest and refocusing, a strong and sturdy Wang Yan returned and proved to be one of the rocks for Team China. She made both the vault and floor finals where she finished 5th and helped China earn a bronze medal in the team final.
Ellie Downie has been a trailblazer for Team Great Britain. In 2015, she earned Team GB their first individual AA medal at the European Championships. At the 2015 World Championships, she helped the team to an historic bronze medal. At the Olympics, Downie was a favorite for the all around final and possible a few event finals. Unfortunately, Downie had a scary fall on floor exercise which took her out of the floor final. She then returned to the arena to finish on vault. Downie had done enough to make the all around final but just didn't have the best day. She did show an upgraded routine with a Patterson dismount on beam but fell. As the sole qualifier to the all around final for Team GB and after such a scary fall, Downie did an excellent job fighting for herself but also for her team. She finished in 13th place.
Flavia Saraiva helped Brazil to an 8th place team finish and earned a spot in both the all around and beam event finals. She withdrew from the all around to focus on beam where she finished 5th. In the team final, Saraiva contributed on both beam and floor helping her to become one of the darlings of this home Olympic Games.
Sae Miyakawa was a vault medalist at the 2014 YOG. She made the Japanese worlds team and helped the team to a fifth place finish. She also competed in the floor final where she tied for 4th. Miyakawa is known for her very difficult floor routine with tumbling difficulty that can rival that of Simone Biles. Due to an error, Miyakawa did not make the floor final. However, she did help Japan to a 4th place finish. Their highest finish in nearly 50 years.
Every athlete has had a different road to Rio, all worthy of celebration. Whose career have you reflected on after watching the Olympic Games?
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Adjusting from Elite to UCLA
12:38 PM
Arabian Punch Front
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We sat down to catch up with Felicia Hano (Fish) as she heads to UCLA in pursuit of furthering her education and partaking in college gymnastics. This is a follow up to our interview with Hano earlier this year, in February. You can read that interview here.
At the time of this interview, Fish had just returned from orientation where she signed up for her Pre-Business Economics Major classes for Fall quarter. Her schedule looks something like four hours of conditioning and training Monday through Friday followed by her classes. “In summer, the team is taking pretty much the same classes. We’re taking German Philosophy and then we’re taking a World Arts & Cultures class. It’s to get GEs (general education requirements) out of the way.”
Fish is currently training at West Coast Elite where she had initially trained before training for elite with Gym-Max. She visits Gym-Max once a week, due to the long commute and has an established mutual understanding of the schedule with Coach Jenny.
Hano’s elite career came to an abrupt end when she was injured on vault during podium training at the 2015 Secret US Classic. She later had surgery for multiple torn ankle ligaments. She spent the remainder of the pre-collegiate season rehabilitating the injury and getting skills ready for her college career. “In college, the main focus is staying healthy. Miss Val (Valerie Kondos Field), Chris (Waller), and Randy (Lane) don’t want me to do anything that I could possibly hurt myself doing. Especially for freshman year after coming off from an injury. I’ll do the skills I’m comfortable with and (can) compete and perform really well.”
(You can also find video of her bar routine on the Gym-Max youtube)
Recovering from the injury was a difficult process as the tumbling star recalls missing just that, tumbling. “I was most happy to get back doing double layouts because that is my skill. Everytime I do them, I love them. That’ll be in my floor routine for sure!” As a freshman, Fish will “test the waters” with her collegiate routine but hopes to “throw some harder skills” during sophomore year when she “feel[s] more comfortable.”
This year, with the help of Miss Val, she hopes to stray from “Choosing Dauntless” to a more serious and character driven routine to add a little flare and sass to her floor performance. “I know what type of music I want. I have songs that I like but it’s the process of putting them together and making sure it all flows together. It’s definitely different than elite because elite I was so straight faced, so focused. In college, and Miss Val knows too, in college, I want to do something a little sassier. So hopefully some smiles in this season coming up.”
When asked about her thoughts on the US Olympic team she beamed with pride, “I’m excited to watch the Olympics especially Team USA because I know those girls on a personal level and it makes me even happier to see their dreams come true.” In regards to whom she was closest with on the Olympic team, she responded with Simone Biles since Simone had been verbally committed to UCLA in the past and would interact with the future class on a regular basis. Fish was especially supportive of Laurie “because she has overcome and gone through a lot with injuries.” She also acknowledged the depth of Team USA by suggesting that they could send three different teams and still to do well.
The UCLA gymnastics team will most likely hold viewing sessions for the Olympics. It would be of great importance to her and Kyla Ross since “Kyla and I have gone to camps and we know those girls and are really happy for them and want to see them do well.”
Fish is excited to join her close friend and former West Coast elite teammate Hallie Mossett, and Gym Max teammate Kyla Ross at UCLA. “I talk to Hallie on a daily basis. We used to train together at West Coast Elite back in the day. I’m really close with her and she told me, ‘If you ever need anything just ask me. If you need advice, just come to me.’” She finds that “familiarity will be around them” and the Glenn twins (Anna and Grace) will make the college experience a memorable one. Her Gym Max coaches, Jenny and Howie will try to attend every home meet to support Hano, Ross, and Team UCLA.
It’s been an inspiration watching you recover from injury and take on other challenges. We wish you luck in your collegiate endeavors as you embark on this journey!
The Olympics are finally here! While tomorrow is the Opening Ceremony, competition has already started for soccer. In gymnastics, the men had their podium training yesterday while the women had their session today. Thankfully, we had access to the US during training and here are a few notes from the women's session today.
Note: The gymnasts warmed up and then saluted the judges. The saluted routine is the one I'm calling the "competition" routine.
Floor
Laurie Hernandez, Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles, Aly Raisman
None of the athletes really went "all out" in terms of performance but the skills were all there.
- Hernandez: Overall hit routine. It's weird to see her not in full Baby Shakira/Human Emoji mode. The dance moves were there. Her tumbling was good, just the front double full was a little questionable.
- Douglas had trouble on all of her dance elements I would say. She fell out of her opening double Y and was in a huge lunge going into the L turn which brought her dangerously close to going out of bounds. Her tumbling, however, was great. Her full in to back tuck was also solidly connected. It wasn't rebounded per say but connected just as well as Ferrari's had been.
- Biles and Raisman were both incredibly solid and hit
- Kocian on floor is so impressive to me. She doesn't need to do it at this point but I suppose that's part of why she made the team. I really like this routine.
There's lots of discussion about the lineup here but there are a few things to consider. First off, it's podium training, everyone competed and the lineups are subject to change. Sure. Secondly, Simone has to warm-up 2 vaults so her going 3rd on floor, gives her a little more time to rest her legs before going again on vault. And, yes, she's last in the vault lineup but warms up first.
Vault
Laurie Hernandez, Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Simone Biles
- Hernandez was short on her warm up DTYs but did well on her competition one. She seemed to twist a little late. Maggie assured Martha that she shows up on competition day.
- Douglas was also short on her warm up vaults but had a very solid stick/near stick in her competition routine.
- Biles has to warm up quickly since she has to do a second vault. Others were still doing timers or FTY when she went for her first Amanar. And stuck it right down the middle. Her competition one was landed offsides and then she hopped out of bounds. She warmed up a Lopez then did a great Cheng. The vault final will really be interesting with Hong working the TTY.
- Raisman! She stuck the crap out of her warmup Amanar. This one was her competition one with just the slightest shuffle. But right down the middle. She tried not to smile after the warmup one but then she saw Simone and they gave each other the largest smiles. It was a sweet moment.
Practice makes perfect.
See @Aly_Raisman nail her landing at today’s podium training.
Uneven Bars
Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Madison Kocian, Laurie Hernandez
- Raisman usual routine. First off, the girls warmed up full routines on bars and beam. Her first one was head on and loked fine. Her competition one was from the side and looked ... like Aly
- Biles had a few minor things in her routine - leg separation on her Maloney and gets a little stuck in her full pirouette after it. Otherwise, good routine.
Funny moment: Biles gets down and sees Aly without grips but wonders if they have to do another routine. They find out they only need to repeat if they have something to work on and Aly has a huge sigh of relief.
- Douglas hit an excellent routine. She was working very hard to get every handstand and she did. She also did her full difficulty routine with the Chow 1/2 and everything went well, including a stuck double layout dismount.
- Kocian hits a great routine. Martha praises her for going for one of the connections but asks for a little more on her Jaeger release. In her competition routine, she had a little shuffle on the landing. In her follow up routine, she gets great height on her Jaeger, enough to frighten me, though she catches a little close, and she sticks her dismount.
- Laurie Hernandez went last on this event. One would think she's going last on the event because she won't compete it but Martha hasn't made a decision yet. Sure. Hernandez, though, has a rough routine with her usual leg separation on the stalder full but then she also has a leg separation on her Pak which isn't her usual. The next routine was better and she sticks her dismount. I think she was a little rattled because she was last up for warmups when the "30 second warning" went off.
Balance Beam
Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Laurie Hernandez, Simone Biles
Confession: I was maybe 75% focused on beam. Things went well, overall.
- Douglas did ok with some hesitant connections. She hit her full once and the second time had a slight leg up wobble.
- Raisman hit. A little crooked on Patterson but otherwise ok.
- Hernandez was doing well until the second half of her routine when she had one bend at hips wobble and another small wobble. Good double pike dismounts though.
- Biles hit. She went for a second routine and didn't do her second layout step out. Her Barani is her Barani. Otherwise, her full in looks great. Repeated that and it again looked great.
And there you have it. Overall, team USA looking incredibly solid. The big question is who will do the all around.
Aly and Laurie? What about Gabby? Based on today's competition, Douglas is definitely going to be one of the all around gymnasts. She looks better than she's looked for most of the year. Raisman was her usual self, the question being left to the judges on beam connections and execution. Hernandez made things tricky. She is a great uneven bar worker and could have certainly been used in team finals but during bars and after, she got a little nervy. Based on her competition today, I wouldn't put her in the AA and she's a question mark for bars in team final. But what about the whole year before this? This is all true but if you can't handle the pressure in podium training, how will you do when the lights are truly on? Personally, I think Laurie will be fine but I don't think she'll be in the all around.
There's also the fact that Douglas and Raisman are USA's defending all around gymnasts. The same way that Aly competed bars over Maggie Nichols at Worlds 2015 to put Raisman in the all around, the same will likely happen here. It's tricky since Laurie went pro so technically she is marketable but she doesn't have the same fan base... yet!
Speaking of Laurie going pro, I thought it was weird if she wasn't doing AA as well but after seeing the beam lineup, it makes sense. She could possibly take Raisman out of beam finals. Based on the routines we saw today, it'll be tight. And, to be quite honest, I wouldn't count Douglas out on beam either if the other two have any errors.
All I will say is that podium training made me incredibly excited for competition to start!
Opening Ceremony Aug 5, 7:30 PM ET
More of the Olympic schedule - MAG and WAG - can be found here What did you think of Podium training? Who do you think will be the all around gymnats?
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Cintia Rodriguez: I Can't End Like This
11:49 AM
Arabian Punch Front
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Personal photo of Cintia Rodriguez
Cintia Rodriguez is a Spanish gymnast that first caught my eye at the 2013 World Championships. Her floor routine was magnificent and her lines and attention to detail really drew me in. She is also a steady competitor on uneven bars, where she has been working towards an original skill - a full twisting Ray shoot to high. I had the pleasure of working with Podcast Asimetricas, a Spanish gymnastics podcast, on this interview and am glad we can bring the translation to you all. You can check out the podcast here.
- For those who don’t know her, Cintia Rodríguez is a
Spanish gymnast born in Mallorca on the 16th of November, 1994. She
trains at Club Xelska. She is a member of the Spanish National Team and she has
competed in 3 World Championships (Rotterdam 2010, Antwerp 2013, and Nanning
2014), 2 European Championships (Sofia 2014 and Bern 2016). We’ve also
seen her compete in some World Cups, and in the Italian and German Gymnastics
leagues, as well as in the Spanish National Championships and several friendly
meets.
- Well, if you want we’ll start asking you a ton of
questions, how does that sound?
- I’m pleased to answer
-OK, so let’s start as with everything, from the beginning.
How did you get started in gymnastics, how old were you, and why did you start?
- I started when I was 3 years old because my older sister
did gymnastics and I would always go pick her up (from the gym) with my mom. I
saw her doing gymnastics and I fell in love with the sport. Ever since I
started, I haven’t been able to stop.
- Thank God! What are your best memories of doing gymnastics
as a child?
- Truth be told, when you’re little you love everything.
I loved going (to the gym), I would never get tired despite spending hours
there, and also (I loved) learning things.
- And what did you enjoy the least when you were little?
You’re saying that you liked everything, but there must have been something
that you didn’t like?
- As a child it’s difficult (not to like something) since
when you’re little it’s something new and all, you always like everything, but
I guess that physical preparation… well, like right now, I hate it!
- So that’s also what you hate right now, physical
preparation?
- Yeah!
- When did you realize, or when did your coaches realize
that you were good at it?
- Well, actually I’ve never realized that I’m good at it,
basically because I’ve never seen myself as better than anyone nor with the
ease that others have, but I guess that when I changed gyms at age 8, Pedro
(Pedro Mir, her current coach) realized that I had something, that I was
special.
- When did you first became a member of the National Team,
and what did that achievement mean to you?
- I became a National Team member in 2008, when I competed
at my first Junior International, and to me it was… I remember it as something
super special because I had the study trip (school organized class trip at the
end of the school year) and it was either to go to the trip or to go to the
International. And without a doubt I said to myself “I’m going to the International!”
Photo by Cordelia Price at 2013 World Championships
- But of course! I would have done the same thing! And, we
guess that going to the Olympics is a dream for all gymnasts, but did it become
something that you wanted at some point? Is it a goal of yours?
- Since 2012, when I went to the Test Event and we (the
team) almost did it (almost qualified), since that moment yeah, to me it was
the main goal, and well, to have been able to go to Rio would have also been
the best! Because after Worlds, what you want is to go to the Olympics, but
well, it’s also ok if you don’t go…
- Well, there are other things I guess…
- Yeah…
- I guess there are other things that are worth it…
- Right, it’s not everything, but at the same time it is
everything… but you always have to look at the bright side and if I’m never
able to go, well, I would still have gone to 3 World Championships, which is
something…
- But of course! Well, and now Cristina has some questions
about the Spanish system and stuff. Tell us, Cristina…
- Yeah, for people who don’t know much about it, Cintia,
could you explain for us how does the Spanish gymnastics system works? How are
the training centers organized? How often does everybody get together? How do
you start training at any of the high performance centers?
- Ok, well, there are 2 high performance centers, that would
be the one in Madrid, and also the one in Sant Cugat, in Barcelona. And then in
Mallorca we have the Technification Center. And well, if they call you and you
want to go, then you go to train in Madrid, but we here in Mallorca… I’m really
well, and back then I decided that I didn’t want to go and I stayed here at
home. Each center has their own planning, which is more or less coordinated,
and once in a while Lucía (Lucía Guisado, the Spanish National Team Coordinator)
comes over to test us, or we go over there to do the tests and concentrations.
- And I guess that’s how they decide who represents Spain at
each competition, right? With the tests?
- Yeah, yeah, depending on the scores and whatever they
wish, you are either part of the team or you’re not.
- Oh, ok. Well, as far as we know, you have psychologists,
nutritionists, and other experts that help you. Is that correct? And if so, how
often do you see them?
- Well, I don’t know about Madrid, but as for the
Technification Center, we have psychologists, physiotherapists, everything, and
I guess that you can see them whenever you want, but I’ve never gone to the
psychologist so I have no clue.
- Well, from the outside we can tell that all the gymnasts
on the Spanish National Team get along really well. Are you close because of
something in particular? Are you often told about the importance of the team
feeling, or is it something you seek on your own? How does it work?
- Well, each one gets along better with the gymnasts in her
center, the ones in Madrid are closer to the ones in Madrid, Barcelona with
Barcelona, and so on… it’s only natural, but then when it comes to competing if
we are a team, we are a team, and who cares if you’re from Barcelona, Madrid,
or Mallorca. If the score is for the team, it’s for the team, you don’t have to
be thinking you’re from Madrid and all… we try to think as a team so things
turn out better.
- And then also within your Club, the girls that train there
also seem to get along very well, right?
- My Club, more than a club is really a family, because we
are all really close, we do a lot of activities outside the gym, from a bbq to
going to the beach all together… we do a lot of things because it’s really the
base of our club, that more than a club we are a family and I know it sounds
cliché, but we really feel it. For instance, during the spring we have a
festival and us seniors that have attended World Championships have to train
with the 4 year olds and help them do handstands, and with their parents being
there too… because it’s the goal.
- Yeah, we can see it because of the things you all share in
social media, that’s why we were asking. And… what do you think the Spanish
gymnastics success is due to? When things go well, what do you think it’s due
to?
- Well, I think it can be summarized in the word “work”.
When the work is well done, there’ll be results, sometimes better sometimes
worse, but if you work with excitement, constantly, and you give it your all,
it may go wrong, but most likely it will go well.
- You’re known internationally because of your elegance and
your balletic style, have you ever done dance or ballet? Or has it always been
within the training regimen?
-Oh, not at all! I’ve only done gymnastics and gymnastics!
Actually dancing or doing any other thing I am super pathetic and super clumsy!
But since I don’t have big D scores, the jumps, leaps, turns and elegance come
out naturally.
- So far, what have been the best and worst moments of your
career? What are you the most proud of, and what has been the hardest thing you
have gone through?
- What I am most proud of is to have overcome breaking my
knee twice, to continue doing gymnastics after 5 surgeries. That’s what I’m most
proud of, that I never quit. The fact that I haven’t been able to do, for
instance, a Yurchenko ever again… well, it is what it is… I can’t really train
on vault anymore because my knee always hurts, but that’s what makes me happy,
that despite all that, the pain, the 5 surgeries, having rehab every day, I’m
still training. And the worst moments… well, it’s been the surgeries, and about
everything else, I’d say I’m quite happy. I can’t complain.
- What element was the hardest to learn?
- The stalder release facing inward with counter movement
and full twist in flight to high bar, that is, a Ray with full twist…
- That’s the…
- “The Rodríguez”
- “The Rodríguez!”
- 3 years! I’ve been attempting it for 3 years.
A video posted by Cintia Rodriguez (@cintiia_94) on
- Yeah, I knew you were training something, a transition, I
was told… I saw you attempting something, but I wasn’t sure of what it was
until one day at a competition, practicing something, you did it, although I
think you didn’t compete it at the end, right?
- Well, I saw Cristina Riera when I was little. She was
doing it and I told Pedro “I wanna do it!!” and he said, “Well, try it!” and (we started) playing. Eventually the game became “We have to do this because you do it
really well." We have tried all along these past 3 years, a thousand
combinations, a thousand tactics… how to do it, because it’s actually super
difficult and super precise. Eventually, one day, I’m not sure how we figured
out the key and we’ve been working on it. Well, some days it turns out
better, some days it turns out worse, but it’s really super difficult and the
day that I lose focus or the exact moment in which I have to let go (of the
bar) and stuff, then I can’t do it because it’s actually difficult and then
some other weeks I do it super well. I’ve competed it here, in Mallorca, and I
did it, also 2 weeks ago, in France. I did it during training but then it
didn’t turn out well in competition. So well… I’ll keep working on it and
whenever I’ll do it, I’ll do it.
- We can’t wait to see it and for it to be named after you
because you deserve it! And… was there any element that you thought would be
hard (to learn) and all of a sudden you just did it?
- Hmm… (she pauses to think)
- There is nothing that easy, huh?
- No, there is not!!
- Everything is complicated in gymnastics
- Oh but the other day, the split ring leap, I did it on the
mat, and the coach said, “Come on, now do it on the beam” and well, I fell, but
then I did it quite well
A video posted by Cintia Rodriguez (@cintiia_94) on
- You posted a video of it too, we saw it!
- Yeah! So the first attempt I was scared and I didn’t do it,
second attempt I fell, and the third one I did it!
- Very well, 3rd time's the charm! And right now, are you trying to
increase your D scores? Are you training something new or are you just
perfecting what you already have?
- Well, problem was that this week, which was dedicated to
do new elements, I was on vacation because tomorrow I start, for 4 weeks, a
Level 2 coach course so I was off this week and I couldn’t train, but when I
get back I will try to increase my difficulty on beam and bars.
- And speaking of bars, up until a few years ago, grips were
not really used in Spain, have you always used them, or did you adapt to them
later on?
- I’ve only used grips for a year now. I had never used them
before, and when I was 20 years old I put them on!
- Yeah, I never used them! How was the transition for you?
- Horrible! I was telling him (her coach) everyday “I don’t
want to wear them! I don’t want to wear them!” Because they don’t help me. The L-grips,
they were so hard to do (with grips) even today. I was super happy without
grips, but honestly, it was hard also to go out (as in to compete outside of
the country) and everybody used them and I didn’t because they didn’t work for
me.And honestly, the only reason why I
began to use them was to do the Ray with a full twist because I actually do it
better with grips.
- Yeah well, maybe they’ll help you with some things…
- Right now I’m very well (with the grips) but the L-grips
are still a little hard to do with grips.
- The day I used grips for the first time, I did a kip and
I decided they weren’t for me, so yeah, I guess I can understand.Well, and about your floor exercise, does the
choreography have any meaning? Does it represent something?
- No, not at all. The choreographer puts it together for me
and the day after I’m already doing different movements because I tell her
“nah, I don’t like this, may I do this instead?” and she says “Yeah, do
whatever you want, everything looks good if you do it.”
- So you make it yours…
- Yeah. Actually, anytime I do my floor routine, it is never the
same choreography! It’s not the same moves! I improvise depending on the music
and how tired I am.
- And, which has been your favorite floor routine of the
past years?
- Hmm! I think this one.
- The one you have right now?
- Yeah, the one I’ve had for this past year, I like it a
lot, the music and all… and besides this one, the one I had 2 years ago, the
2014 one I think, I also liked that one a lot.
- Which are your favorite apparatus?
- Let’s see, this is complicated! To train, beam, without a
doubt, beam is my favorite. But when it comes to competing it, I hate to
compete on beam, well, I guess it happens to all of us, because you have a
really hard time! But beam is my favorite, and then bars. Although when it
comes to compete, I love to compete on floor!
- Yeah, it’s really appealing.
- Yeah!
- How do you feel about the current code? Would you change
anything? (She understand that we’re asking about the 2017-20 code and answers accordingly)
- Well, I actually printed it today. I haven’t
completely looked at it yet but there are some things that I find great, that
are on our side, like beam D dismounts not being mandatory anymore, for instance,
or that leaps and turns are more important…
- Oh, so we’re talking about the code that will be current
after the Games…
- Yeah, exactly. And then, also, on uneven bars, it doesn’t
affect me at all, but I think it’s great that you can only do 3 elements of the
same family! It doesn’t affect me because I don’t have so many similar
elements, but there are a lot of gymnasts that I think (their bar routine)
is very repetitive and they abuse it, and like this, well, now they have to
learn something different.
- And about the former perfect 10 system, do you like it
more or less than what we have now?
- I liked the perfect 10 system so much better, but well,
what we have right now isn’t bad either, but the perfect 10 was so much cooler.
- And how did it come up to start competing at the Italian
and German leagues?
- The German league… There was a man that used to come with
his daughters from Germany to vacation in Mallorca and he got in touch with
Pedro because they (the little girls) wanted to do gymnastics and from then on, like 12 years ago, a great relationship was established. This man
ended up building a gym for his daughters back in Germany and he said “Pedro,
please, I started this gym, would you come over with your girls and help us
compete so we have a higher level, and in exchange I’ll help you with whatever?”
and we were pleased to do it so in 2010. It was the first time I went to the
Regional League to help them get to 3rd division, with that team,
the Gym Tittmoning, and from there on I began to compete in Germany and I went
to the Hamburg Gymnastics to compete and there was an Italian judge. That
Italian judge got in touch with me and said that in Italy they needed help to
get to 1st division and so I started to go to Italy too. In Germany
we never change teams, we always compete for the Gym Tittmoning which has
different categories, and in Italy I’ve competed for a different team every
year.
- And not so long ago you have competed at Spanish
Nationals. Can you tell us how did it go, what were your impressions?
- This National Championships went really bad!
- Well, it happens sometimes…
- Yeah, well… vault I did well, look at that! And floor was
the last and truly, I was actually really angry and I didn’t even feel like
competing, but I did, and I can’t complain because I didn’t do bad. Beam was a
disaster and bars… I made a mistake, and I never make mistakes and that is what
made me so frustrated.
- Well, it’s just one competition, there will be more… these
things happen! And now I’m gonna leave you with Nines, who’s going to ask you
about the future and some other things.
-Ok
- Yeah, I’m going to ask about things that are maybe a
little more general. To begin with, how is your normal schedule in a week? How
do you make gymnastics compatible with other things?
- Well, I wake up at around 9:30am, and I go to the gym…
well, some days I get up earlier and go to English class, then I go to the gym
from 11am to 2pm, I eat from 2pm to 3pm, then I work as a secretary from 4pm to
5pm, and from 5pm to 9pm I go back to the gym, and then go back home. [That schedule is] on
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On Thursdays, I only train for one
session and on Saturdays I also only train one session.
- A ha, and you commented earlier that you are taking a
Level 2 coaching course, could you tell us more about it?
- I start tomorrow. In 2012, I took the Level 1 coaching
course, and I passed and got certified, and this year they offered the Level 2
course here in Mallorca and well, learning new things is always good and
despite I don’t want to be a coach. Well, I’m not sure. As of right now I don’t
want to be a coach, but I’m taking the course because it’s one more thing to have and it’s important.
[Since this interview, Cintia has started the Level 2 course and is enjoying it enough to reconsider coaching!]
- So, what are your goals for the future, inside and outside
gymnastics? What do you want to achieve in gymnastics, and in general with your
life?
- That is quite a difficult question!
- Yeah! It is for all of us, yeah!
- In gymnastics, I wasn’t sure… a few weeks ago I was
considering this to be my last year but I truly like gymnastics too much and it
won’t be my last year. Most likely I will only train one session from now on so
I can do some other things… and outside of gymnastics… I’m not sure yet.
- Have you ever considered to continue your gymnastics
career at an American University? Is it something that you even consider here
in Spain? Do you (the Spanish team) receive scholarship offers, or is it not
too common?
- Yeah, I’ve actually discussed it sometimes with Jessica
López and her coach, but it’s not something that I have seriously
considered… I just think it’d be very difficult, but on the other hand I would
like to do it because it would be amazing to experience how gymnastics is felt
over there!
- So you haven’t completely ruled it out yet
- No, I’m not ruling it out yet, but I don’t see it as a
very viable option…
- And… since you’ve mentioned Jessica, your choice would be
Denver University or…
- I have no clue!
- You haven’t given it much thought yet as I see…
- Nope!
- Ok, and lastly, as curiosities, I wanted to ask a couple
more things. I’ve noticed that when you (the Spanish team) post videos or
pictures on social media, you always write a motivational quote, everybody in
the team does it. Is it because of something in particular? Do you have a pact
or something?
- No, not at all. They, the ones from Madrid, I’m not sure
because they are always posting pictures at the same time and all, so I have no
clue. But me, depending on the picture, I come up with a quote and I write it
down. I like to write, so I come up with it, and I put it there.
- That’s cool. And another curiosity, what gymnasts do you
admire, or who are your role models?
- Without a doubt, for me. Catalina Ponor has always been
worthy of admiration. In Bern I was actually able to take a picture with her
and I was like “Oh, God! I took a picture with her!!”
Personal photo of Cintia Rodriguez
- Hey, and she with you!
- Yeah yeah… but she started to follow me on Instagram and I
had to take a screenshot of that! And also Svetlana Khorkina has always been
important to me, and also Nastia Liukin, I’ve always liked her a lot.
- You all have similar styles actually… everyone you
mentioned and yourself, just so you know.
- Well, it’s actually the kind of gymnastics that I enjoy. I
don’t want to take away the merit from some because it’s incredible what the
Americans do! Simone is a beast! And I admire it because I will never be able
to do things like that, but I would always prefer a Dutch gymnast like Lieke
Wevers to Simone Biles, for instance. Because it’s my gymnastics style and I
like it more… because it’s artistic gymnastics, not acrobatic. But that’s just
my opinion of how I see gymnastics.
- Yeah well, you and a lot of people, of course… And well,
is there anything else that you would like to tell us about your gymnastics or
about you? Is there any question that we haven’t asked you? Just tell us
whatever you want!
- Actually… I don’t know!
- Yeah open questions like that are a little difficult. Does
anybody want to ask her anything else?
- (Cristina) Yeah, I wanted to ask if you’re planning to continue
doing gymnastics, but you’ve already said you are and I am very happy about
that. But I’m not sure if you’re planning to continue to a specific moment or
you’re just going to continue until you feel like you cannot do it anymore...
-Thing is that when training goes well, we always think of
continuing, but when training goes bad I always think, “Nah, that’s it, I am
done.” And after Nationals, because it went so bad, the first thing I thought
was, “It’s over.” But then you think about it coldly and I tell myself “I can’t
end it like this, I want to continue competing. If I don’t get anywhere else
with the National Team, well, it’s ok, I’ll train for one session and I’ll go
and compete gymnastics to have fun and for those who admire my gymnastics to
enjoy it… and that’s it.”.
- Thank you! Thank you!
- And also I am really excited because my coach, Pedro Mir,
and Jessica’s coach they are organizing here in Mallorca an international
competition, and I would like to compete in it. It’ll be in February.
- Oh, that’s interesting! Can you tell us more about it? I
love it!
- Well, I don’t have all the specifics yet because Pedro
hasn’t told me everything but I know it’s being organized at a big arena, the
Palm Arena, where we had Nationals in 2007. It’s going to be on the 17th
and 18th of February and so far, there are already gyms from Brazil
and the U.S. that are set to compete.
- I’ll be there… it’s around my birthday too so it’s
perfect! Thank you!
- I think it’s going to be super cool and a lot of important
people are coming over to compete and I would love to compete in it. And well,
another thing I would love is to compete in Italy another year because
gymnastics there is incredible!
- I also wanted to ask about Italy… how do you manage
with the language? How do you communicate with your team?
- Well, I’ve been going there for three years already and
spoke to people so little by little you learn and I speak to them in Italian.
- And in Germany?
- In Germany I speak in English if I can and if not, then
Pedro translates for me. But Italian is really easy, you understand everything
because it’s really similar to Catalonian (language that is also spoken in
Mallorca) and it’s really easy to understand. But about competing in Italy, if
you guys ever can make it, I recommend that you attend a competition there
because it has nothing to do with how gymnastics is here! In Rome, there was a
capacity of 12.000 people! It’s incredible.
- We’ll have to save money to go before you retire so we can
see you too…
- If I’m in good shape and some club wants me to compete for
them, which for now, they do, I’m definitely competing there next year again… I
hope!
- Well, then for now we’d say this is it… you’ve been with
us for like an hour now
- It was my pleasure
- Please understand that as excited as you were when
Catalina Ponor followed you on IG, that’s as excited as we are for speaking to
you
- Oh there is no comparison!!
- Yes, yes for us there is. So thank you, really, for being
so kind to do this and answer to all of our questions. Thank you so much.
- It’s the least I can do for people that enjoy gymnastics,
try to make it more popular and for other people to know more about gymnastics…
I’m proud and pleased to help
Thank you, Cintia, for this wonderful interview and for your beautiful gymnastics! And thank you to Podcast Asimetricas for agreeing to do this interview.
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