A BALANCING ACT

Sporting Kids

By Robyn Miller • Photography: Dwayne Watkins

Every now and again a sporting genius comes along that the world simply cannot get enough of. Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Chris Gayle are just a few of the sporting kids that have become the geniuses of today.

Mikala Virgo

But there’s a back-story to the gold mine that Jamaica and other places have managed to churn out over the years.

Those hair-raising moments didn’t just happen by chance. They are often the result of a lot of hard work, discipline, dedication, sacrifice, and, yes…pain. You could say it’s a serious balancing act.

A sport that is fast rising in popularity following island girl Toni-Ann Williams’ appearance at last year’s Olympics, B3 Magazine found a hive of emerging sporting geniuses among the talented pool of gymnasts at Nishida’s Gymnastics in Kingston. These little stars are the surest indication of what Jamaica and the world are soon to discover.

One of the bright sparks who got our attention more than a year ago is the 12-year-old dynamo Danyella Holmes. A Level 8 gymnast, Danyella, who left Nishida’s a year ago to take up a scholarship in Virgina is described as having “amazing” work ethic by her US coaches. “Danyella is a talented young lady that displays perseverance, commitment, determination, and passion for the sport of gymnastics”, qualities coach Macey Watson says make a successful gymnast.

The talented gymnast copped a bronze medal at the recent USA Gymnastics (USAG) Virginia State Championships for her “impressive” floor routine. An Olympic hopeful for Tokyo, Japan 2020, Watson feels young Danyella’s “chances of making the Games are good” and “if she qualifies, she will represent her home country of Jamaica well”.

Like many of the gymnasts she left back home, Danyella started gymnastics from a tender age. The earlier the start, the better says Nishida’s Gymnastics coach,

Nicholas Tai, as it is the perfect time to condition their little bodies.

Eleven years old and barely looking like it, Brianne Woon is special!

Another Level 8 gymnast, with two levels to go before she o cially enters the elite category, Brianne has won numerous awards both for her club, Nishida, and her country.

She walked away with a third place all-round finish at the USAG tournament in Orlando, Florida in January, this after an excellent showing in Baltimore that same month. Brianne is a beauty on the bars! Like several of the gymnasts, the bars are her favourite routine as she gets to “swing on them”,

Disciplined, poised and businesslike in her approach to her craft,

Brianne transforms when she gets into action. “I’m always doing hand stands and cart wheel, and I do back tuck, which is like a back flip,” the agile youngster told B3 Magazine as her busy little body sprang into a combination of routine during our interview. Following in Brianne’s footsteps are cousins, Kailey Ho, aged 10, and eight-yearold Sydney Chung (known as ‘Ling Ling’ and ‘Shing Shing’ to their coaches. Her small hands pressed up against smiling cheeks in a peek-a-boolike gesture, the bright and pleasant Kailey sounded a warning to her opponents for the Barbados tour for which she was about to set off at the end of April.

“I plan to take home all the medals!” said a confident Kailey.

But even at their tender age these little sporting stars sacrifice a lot.

School and social events often take a back seat due to the gruelling schedule, explains Danyella’s mom, Haedi-Kaye Holmes. Yet, Danyella maintains her honour role status at Virginia Academy in what is a serious balancing act.

“Sometimes we get so much work we’re tired when we get home,” 12 year-old Level 5 gymnast, Asasia Malcolm, said. Her friend Jamila ‘Apple’ Duffus’, also 12, agrees. Still, the two are adamant they’ll wear the Jamaican colours at the 2024 Olympics.

On average, these gymnasts train around 25 hours weekly – for four to five hours, up to five days a week.

“Hardworking and dedicated”, much is expected from India Shirley, or ‘Ten Brain’ as coach Shenice Martin likes to call her for her smarts. But for now, the focus is on getting the 12 year-old to complete the USAG levels. “After that, she moves up, so let’s say, give her another five years and you’ll see great things from her,” coach Martin promised.

A shy but fierce competitor, 10 year yearold Adana Johnson has come a long way from the five-year old coaches say they met when she first started at Nishida’s. Adana has suffered some nasty injuries in the past including rips (literally tearing) to the palm of her small hands from doing the gritty bar routine. But the fierce competitor has bounced back so nicely coach Martin says she now is not only physically, but mentally stronger and tougher.

Coach Tai, who has been a gymnast since he was five and is now a World Championship competitor, said the sport

Adana Johnson

Breanne Woon

provides some of the greatest lessons in discipline and confidence and that the falls and injuries are only part of those lessons.

Nishida Gymnastics is home to approximately 70 children and adult gymnasts, all of whom must complete a mandatory recreation routine before taking on the USAG training programme.

Title holders of the 2015 Florida Crown Championship and winners of numerous individual and team awards, this tightknit unit and its crop of sporting kids are definitely ones to watch!