QUOTES
JUNE 4 - SENIOR MEN'S AND WOMEN'S AA
"I've put a lot of effort into learning the basics again."
- All-around champion Grant Golding on his improved style on high bar.
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| Kate Richardson |
"I feel old."
- 2000 Olympian Kate Richardson, on her return to competition with the next generation of Canadian athletes.
"That was cool. I love it - it's awesome. They're both incredible coaches, but yeah, the first day was a little weird. It was like my two worlds were colliding."
- Richardson, on working with her past and present coaches, David Kenwright and Valorie Kondos at the same time.
"I kind-of got bribed to do it. One of the people that works at the gym said she'd give me a pack of Skittles if a smiled during my floor routine."
- All-around champion Kylie Stone on her rare, ever-present smile on floor.
"I don't know about that. I know I belong on this team, and we can do well."
- Stone, on whether her victory confirmed that she is Canada's number one gymnast.
"I don't think it will help me, necessarily, but all of the international experience will."
- Third-place finisher Amelie Plante on whether she will be at an advantage because she will be competing at her second Olympic trials.
"I don't think the [ranking] really matters. I just want to do my job."
- Runner-up Heather Purnell, on whether she met her goal by finishing second all-around.
"I'm actually glad I didn't win the gold medal [on floor at last year's world championships], because I don't think I'd want to go into the Olympics as the gold medallist. The media pressure is unbelievable."
- Kyle Shewfelt, on the demands of the Olympic year.
"I can't punch as high, so my double-double will be more whipped. Double backs are the hardest for me right now."
- Shewfelt, on the rebuilding of his floor routine after his ankle injury.
"She'll be back for trials."
- Vladimir Lashin, coach of Gael Mackie, on his pupil's status after scratching two events, and then withdrawing after a nasty fall on uneven bars.
"It's hard sometimes. It is pretty stressful with all these injured athletes. But I know we're going to put a team on the floor, and that's all I can focus on in the end."
- Melanie Banville, on coping with losing so many potential Olympic team members to injury.
"I might even come back after competing college."
- Lydia Williams, on her intentions to continue with the sport of gymnastics, despite the back injury that ruined her Olympic dream.
"Yes, it was worth it. I went to Pan Ams and did great, and I went to worlds. Everything in the gym was worthwhile. I learned so much, and now I can bring that out into life. In many ways, I feel like I'm just getting started."
- Williams, on whether she feels all the hard work was still worth it, after missing the Olympic team.
JUNE 3 - JUNIOR WOMEN'S AA
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Nicole Heikkila
Photo by Leslie Foster, Gymn.ca |
"Yeah, I do feel some pressure. I feel like people are waiting for me to do well - to win."
- All-around champion Aisha Gerber on the pressure that comes with her long string of national victories.
"Not really. I just keep taking it day by day, little by little."
- Gerber, on whether she is thinking ahead to her days as a senior international competitor, which won't be until 2006.
"Yeah, sometimes it is a little hard to motivate myself."
- Gerber, on how whether it gets difficult to stay motivated during her winning streak.
"It was pretty unbelievable at Elite Canada to do that well. I feel more confident now that I belong here."
- Third-place finisher Alyssa Brown on how her breakthough performance at Elite Canada affected her career.
"Yeah, I am thinking about it. I want to travel internationally. I am starting to dream about 2005 worlds."
- Brown, on her future as a senior international gymnast, which begins next year.
"It was a tough day at the office."
- Seneca coach Carol-Angela Orchard about her athletes' performances in the junior all-around.
"She didn't connect everything on beam, so her start value was dramatically affected. Then she did really well on floor, but we were a little surprised at the score."
- Orchard on Nicole Heikkila's performance.
"Leslie is a very nice competitor, but she just doesn't have the requirements on all the events. She not quite comfortable yet to put all her skills into her routines."
- Orchard on Leslie Mak's progression.
