His Olympic Dream
Christian came first in national title
By Anita Maglicic
FOR many people, the best bits of the Olympics are the big spectacles - seeing Thorpie beat
everyone in the pool or seeing a new world record in the 50-metre sprint.
And then there are sports like gymnastics that amaze people simply by the strength, concentration and precision of every
move.
Local teenager Christian's dream of making it to the 2012 Olympic will attempt to prove these qualities can't come soon
enough.
He spins, twists and does double backflips well...and even does the splits.
Recently, the Westfields Sports High School pupil, 13, impressed judges ar a state gymnastics competition, coming out with five medals.
He not only did this but scored himself a NSW Champion title for being the best in his level, competing against 30 young men
around the state.
And then there is the tumbling. Not long after achieving his three gold for his floor, parallel bars and high bar routines
and two silver for hos performance on the vault and rings, he got first place at the Trampoline and Tumbling Sports National
Championships.
And three times his luck won first place in three tumbling passes and he was Australian National Champion in men's tumbling,
for his level. It has been quite an achievement for Christian as he started riscipline only at the beginning of the year.
ON A HIGH: Christian is training hard to propel himself to the next level.
------------------------------------------------Picture: Helen Nezdropa
The Fairfield West teen started out at age of nine with the Westfields Sports Gymnastics Program, leaving the
soccer field to pursue some fun at gymnasium.
"One of my friends that was in my soccer team got me into it and it was fun," Christian, whose favourite apporatus is the
floor, said.
"It's pretty easy but was really hard at first. The Pommel is really hard - it's like a vaulting horse but has two handles
on it and you do circles on it."
He said ittook him a while to become strong enough to start out and he went through conditioning exercises before having a
go at the diffenent apparatus."
Almost every day he trains at Bass Hill and is working towards hi goal to represent Australia.
Thanks to
12th October 2005
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