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Can I still become an Olympian at age 19?
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Nele Põldvere



Joined: 16 Feb 2004
Posts: 376
Location: Tartu, Estonia --> Lund, Sweden

PostPosted: Sat, 5-May-2012 7:14    Post subject: Reply with quote

Apparently they have good Russian coaches in Ghent, Belgium, working with de Leeuw and Peeters. But they're humans as well...
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Sapphire



Joined: 22 May 2004
Posts: 91
Location: USA

PostPosted: Sun, 29-Jul-2012 8:54    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is over a year old but as an old fart myself Razz I wanted to add my two cents.

Foremost, I completely second all of what Sasta33 has said on page one.

I grew up in a home with a VERY UNsupportive parent. So there was no way I was ever going to be able to start on any dream at a young age. However, that shouldn't stop anybody from trying. For people like me it wasn't my choice.
The reason so many are skeptical about an older person starting and making it to the very top in any olympic sport is because they don't often see it. Most of the athletes have been doing their respective sport since they were very young, so they stop young due to the constant beating on their body, or because they've done it so long they're ready to move on, etc. There are so many reasons. Another reason we rarely see it is because people think they can't unless they started very young. The only way to live your dreams and disprove those who have that negative thought process is to do it. I bet you the more adults who start the more we will eventually see and the more it will become the norm. AG is supposed to be much harder on the body yet this year there is a 37 year old on the German women's team. One thing about sports like RG is it's not like swimming where there are many chances to medal. So you will be going against girls who started younger and have trained longer. However, ability differs from person to person no matter when they started or how long they've trained.

No matter what you should do RG because you love it and not only for Olympic glory. Even competing locally is a wonderful joy and something to be most proud of. But we cannot tell you a definitive yes or no.

So my 31 year old opinion Razz is, do what you love no matter your age. Get in the gym, train hard and enjoy yourself. As an adult I watch the older athletes more. I find them more often most inspiring. The oldest athlete at these current games is 71. He isn't in RG but a lot of sports are having older athletes then we've seen in the past. For RG it just might be you Smile
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sanchara



Joined: 13 Apr 2010
Posts: 468
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sun, 29-Jul-2012 12:43    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sapphire wrote:
This is over a year old but as an old fart myself Razz I wanted to add my two cents.

Foremost, I completely second all of what Sasta33 has said on page one.

I grew up in a home with a VERY UNsupportive parent. So there was no way I was ever going to be able to start on any dream at a young age. However, that shouldn't stop anybody from trying. For people like me it wasn't my choice.
The reason so many are skeptical about an older person starting and making it to the very top in any olympic sport is because they don't often see it. Most of the athletes have been doing their respective sport since they were very young, so they stop young due to the constant beating on their body, or because they've done it so long they're ready to move on, etc. There are so many reasons. Another reason we rarely see it is because people think they can't unless they started very young. The only way to live your dreams and disprove those who have that negative thought process is to do it. I bet you the more adults who start the more we will eventually see and the more it will become the norm. AG is supposed to be much harder on the body yet this year there is a 37 year old on the German women's team. One thing about sports like RG is it's not like swimming where there are many chances to medal. So you will be going against girls who started younger and have trained longer. However, ability differs from person to person no matter when they started or how long they've trained.

No matter what you should do RG because you love it and not only for Olympic glory. Even competing locally is a wonderful joy and something to be most proud of. But we cannot tell you a definitive yes or no.

So my 31 year old opinion Razz is, do what you love no matter your age. Get in the gym, train hard and enjoy yourself. As an adult I watch the older athletes more. I find them more often most inspiring. The oldest athlete at these current games is 71. He isn't in RG but a lot of sports are having older athletes then we've seen in the past. For RG it just might be you Smile


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jaanku



Joined: 25 Jun 2010
Posts: 316

PostPosted: Thu, 20-Dec-2012 22:36    Post subject: Reply with quote

Juliana wrote:
Linnea wrote:
Steven wrote:
elin452 wrote:
I'm mostly a lurker on this forum, as I just enjoy reading more than posting. But this thread made me want to weigh in.

People have made good points about not squashing dreams as there are always the exceptions to the rule that beat the odds.

Dreams are great things to have, they are often the great driving force behind us. However they can also be very dangerous. Of all the girls that actually qualify for the olympics (let alone the small number that actually walks away with a medal) there are tons and tons of girls who trained just as hard who simply didn't make the cut. There's a lot of heartbreak that the public doesn't get to see.

I started RSG very late as well, at 20. I already had a classical ballet background so I wasn't entirely unfamiliar with some of the moves. I started because I love how it looks, I love the creativity, the energy, the flexibility. But finding someone to coach me was hard as most regarded me rather skeptically. Also, RSG in my country is a very neglected sport, so there isn't a lot of money.
In a stroke of luck I stumbled upon a contortion coach who helped me dramatically improve my flexibility (which meant that aside from his long lessons I was stretching 3 hours a day on my own) and through that I became more appealing to coach because I at least could keep up with the flexibility exercises. However, the handling of the apparatus was another thing.

People get wowed by the flexibility RG girls show, but in my opinion it's the handling that takes the cake. It was what made Kabaeva such an accomplished gymnast. You need great coordination, reflexes and basically an eye in the back of your head or at least some psychic ability ;-) to perform some of the more difficult tricks. I seriously hated the ball and the clubs in the beginning because I ended up throwing them allover the place. It takes practice, practice, practice. My RG gym thought I was pretty funny attempting this at my age, but they were all very nice and gracious to me, seeing how much I just loved doing it. I never went in to come home one day with a big medal or trophy. That was never my intention. I went in to better myself and do something I loved. And that I did.

I am 24 now. I will never make the olympics. That is fine with me. I am training hard, I am more flexible and coordinated than I ever deemed possible and I have made friends for life in the RG gym. It taught me discipline, it steeled me and it helped me improve other aspects of my life. I even managed to finish up Uni education on the side because I lost all laziness. That is more than I ever hoped for.

Go ahead, start training. But do it for the right reasons. Yes, you may aim for the olympics. Just regard it as an unlikely possibility. Don't get tunnelvision. Have fun. If the idea of going to the olympics one day makes you a better, more disciplined gymnast, sure, keep it in your head. Just protect your heart so it doesn't get shattered in a million pieces when you find out you're not destined to be the one who made it against all odds.

RG is more than being Bessanova's height and having a good bridge and a nice oversplit, just like Ballet is more than just pretty lines and arched feet. You need to be the whole package and even then there are plenty of examples of gals who didn't make it.

Aim for the sky, but keep your feet on the ground


Wonderfully written. My daughter was an Olympian. But she never planned on being an Olympian. She started RG at a relatively young age, 8, and just did her best until her path took her to the Olympics. Yes, she trained hard. Very hard. But she trained hard because she loved RG, not because of an Olympic dream. She didn't win a medal, but the journey, not the destination, was worth the effort .

Who's the daughter??? WOW! :shock:


I don't think you'll get an answer from him :wink:


LOL agreed. we can do process of elimination, it would be an interesting diversion
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CoCoNuTsiopatHic



Joined: 14 Apr 2006
Posts: 819

PostPosted: Sat, 29-Dec-2012 22:54    Post subject: Reply with quote

The moment I saw the title of this thread, I knew it had to have become an argument between the people who were well aware that the answer to this question is 'NO' and the people who were going to say, "But, if you believe it! You can achieve it! Shoot for the stars! Go for your dream! Don't let anyone tell you that you can't Woohoo!"

You can work as hard as you want and dream as much as you like, but if you're starting RG at 19 then you have no more of a chance to get to the Olympics than I have sitting here on the couch wondering what I should eat for lunch.
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AleksandraFan



Joined: 31 May 2011
Posts: 1910
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sat, 29-Dec-2012 23:01    Post subject: Reply with quote

CoCoNuTsiopatHic wrote:
The moment I saw the title of this thread, I knew it had to have become an argument between the people who were well aware that the answer to this question is 'NO' and the people who were going to say, "But, if you believe it! You can achieve it! Shoot for the stars! Go for your dream! Don't let anyone tell you that you can't Woohoo!"

You can work as hard as you want and dream as much as you like, but if you're starting RG at 19 then you have no more of a chance to get to the Olympics than I have sitting here on the couch wondering what I should eat for lunch.


FINALLY someone said exactly what I was thinking

I figure skate, and get people all the time who think they can become Olympians starting at 15 or 16. Fact is, you're competing against people who have been in the sport since they were toddlers, and you're not going to get better than them in a few years. Plus, there's school, work... it just doesn't happen. Rolling Eyes
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