My Olympic dream began almost 20 years ago when I discovered the sport of trampoline. I had found my passion, and I immediately knew trampoline was the sport for me.
The adrenalin I got from learning a new trick and soaring through the air was addictive — I guess that explains why I am currently training to qualify for my fourth Olympic Games, which will be held in London in 2012.
At age 11, I began my training at Skyriders Trampoline Place in Richmond Hill, under the direction of my long-time coach and mentor David Ross. I had been taking gymnastics and diving lessons and tagged along with one of my teammates to a trampoline class (with the hopes of improving my diving moves). Not being an Olympic sport at that time, there weren’t as many clubs and participants as we now see today.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that trampoline was a competitive sport with local, national and international competitions.
Competitive trampoline is an artistic yet extreme sport. A trampolinist’s main objective is to perform an extremely difficult routine while making it look beautiful and effortless.
Easier said than done — especially while jumping 20 feet in the air, performing triple and double somersaults with multiple twists. The routine must be 10 skills in length and is judged on execution, difficulty and height. The judges give the athlete a score out of 10 for execution, which is then added to the difficulty value of the routine and the flight time to form a total score.
Trampoline is a fairly new sport. The first World Championships for trampoline were held in 1960 and trampoline didn’t make its Olympic debut until the 2000 summer Olympic Games in Sydney Australia.
I was a teenager when we found out trampoline was going to be a full medal sport at the Games, and I was determined to be the first woman to represent Canada in trampoline.
But qualifying for the Olympics is not easy. There are many challenges and sometimes only one shot to qualify. Competing in the World Championships is the only chance to qualify for the Olympics. There are about 80 of the world’s best trampoline athletes competing, and you have to place in the top 16 to qualify for a spot for your country.
My years of preparation had paid off, and, at 19 years of age, I was suddenly on my way to my first Olympic Games. Again, my training served me well, and I brought home a bronze medal for Canada — my first Olympic medal!
After those Olympics, I started to look toward the 2004 games in Athens. A year before the games, I had a huge break through at the 2003 World Championships. I was crowned World Champion. The following year, I went on to win a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
Qualifying for my third Olympic Games in Beijing was extremely challenging. Two weeks before the World Championships, I had a horrible crash in training.
I lost my air sense on one of my manoeuvres, and came crashing down with my knees tucked underneath me. I was in pain, but the only severe damage was to my knee: I had torn the meniscus in my right knee — a knee that I had already had reconstructive surgery on.
Two weeks before the Olympic qualifier, I was on crutches unable to walk. My team doctor told me I would need surgery, but I asked if there was a chance that I could still compete. She left the decision up to me, so I started aggressive physiotherapy and started to train — now just four days before the competition. I believed in myself, I believed I could perform.And I did. I placed fifth, and earned a spot for Canada in Beijing.
After those championships, I had the surgery to fix my knee.
I had two goals in mind: to be able to dance at my wedding a month later and to be ready for the Olympics in Beijing. Six months before the Olympic Games, I resumed my training. And when I arrived in Beijing, I felt ready and confident that I could make it onto the podium.
I performed a great routine, winning my third consecutive Olympic medal, a silver, for Canada. This experience has taught me that anything is possible. It is a new year, so dream big.