Comments on: gymnast Becky Downie trains in a dump

By: holly Fallon (former Ruscliffe gymnast at 5 years old.)

holly Fallon (former Ruscliffe gymnast at 5 years old.) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:38:13 +0000

I knew becky downie, she used to train in the group above me, and I always thought she was amazing, I was 5 when I joined the squad, after being moved up from Bigwood’s top spot, all of the others at the group were amazing, but becky was the best I think, I’m 12 now, becky won’t remember me, because I never spoke to her, but she’s the best one it team GB’s gymnastics squad this year, by far.

By: TP

TP — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:37:56 +0000

Greater gymnasts have had to put up with less in their home gyms. Suck it up, wimps.

By: MissEducated

MissEducated — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 09:16:58 +0000

We train trampolining and DMT, not gymnastics but where we train is not really suitable for either! We have to train with a 12m run for the DMT instead of 20m and a smaller landing area just to fit it in, and the ceiling isn’t high enough really for trampolining. I’d say most of our top level competitors can touch the ceiling pretty easily. Still, over the last 6 years we’ve sent 5 kids to compete at worlds or world age. It is definitely about the coaching.

However, I can see the point that perhaps world class athletes should be training in better facilities but I don’t know how that could be managed. Becky has the choice of moving to a different club with better facilities I suppose. We would love to have a bigger, higher gym to train in but these things don’t just happen!

Perhaps each region needs its own purpose built training centre fully equipped and top level competitors from around the region should train there once a week or once a month in addition to their usual training. At least they can then get the chance to train on the equipment they will be competing on, and if, like in Becky’s case, their own sports centre or gym is closed then they will still be able to train somewhere.

By: shergymrag

shergymrag — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:30:34 +0000

“Unless the facilities are improved, we won’t be producing any more Olympians.””

Seems to me if the facilities hurt them so much they wouldn’t have Olympians in the first place. It’s the coaching that matters most. Ferrari trained in a dump when she won her World Championship.