RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS: The youngest member of the Australian Youth Olympic Team, Tara Wilkie, says she is confident ahead of her first day of competition at the Youth Olympic Games on Tuesday.
Wilkie, 14, will take the floor at the Nanjing Gymnasium in the rhythmic gymnastics qualification round on day 10 of the Games and says training has been a success.
“Training was really good today we had podium... [which] is where you get to practice on the competition floor so you sort of get an idea of how everything is placed and where the bathrooms are,” the Sydneysider said.
“It was a good chance to get used to the venue... I think I’m pretty prepared for it and whatever happens happens, it will happen for a reason but I am pretty confident.”
Ahead of competition Wilkie says she and coach Ms Delia Halmu having been focusing on her throws.
“Back at our gym in Sydney we don’t have a very high roof so I haven’t done my throws in a while so I think just practicing on those with the advantage of the high roof at the training venue has been a good thing to be working on.”
Starting with hoop and ball and moving onto clubs and ribbon, Wilkie will take to the floor first and says she is confident in all the apparatus.
“I will get it over and done with, It would have been nice to be around fourth on the floor but I think first is well you can’t get any better than that and... I can’t wait.”
“For me I like to say I like all of [the apparatus] because normally if I say one then that day that apparatus is normally not very good but I am confident with all of them and I’m ready to go out there and show them what I’ve got.”
At such a young age Wilkie says the whole Olympic experience so far has been amazing.
“Just knowing that I’ve made it is a big achievement so I was happy and excited and felt a warm welcome by all the signs and it’s been good.”
With all of Australia behind her Wilkie will also have her father in the crowd while her grandparents and school friends will be watching from home.
The first rotation of rhythmic gymnastics will kick off at 1100 (1300 AEST) and will be broadcast on the IOC’s YouTube Channel as well as Olympic.org.
Laura Judd
Olympics.com.au
@AUSOlympicTeam
