For a moment toward the end of the 2010 Canadian National Championships, it appeared that one Jessica Savona, an underdog from Oakville Gymnastics, would be the new Canadian Champion.
Savona ended the meet in fourth, but won a reputation as one of Canada's most exciting young competitors, which she carried over to the World Championships.
In Rotterdam, Savona's "Smooth Criminal" floor routine placed 29th in preliminaries, the highest finish by a Canadian woman on the event.
This year, Savona, who showed a rather laid-out Arabian double pike on floor at Gymnix, is aiming still higher. Here's a transcript of an interview with Savona from the 2010 Canadian Championships, mentioning the big new skills she may be unveiling soon...
Examiner.com: How did you get started in gymnastics?
Jessica Savona: "When I started, I was about five years old, and I would be literally jumping up on people. Climbing on them, whatever. So my parents decided to put me in gymnastics, and that's how I got into gymnastics with Alex at Gymnastics Missassauga. Then just about last year in the summer, I moved to Kelly [Manjak], and it's been going on for a couple months now."
Examiner.com: 2010 has been a breakout result for you so far...
Savona: "It is. I was actually pretty surprised. I wasn't expecting that high of a placing. I was expecting maybe fifth to eighth, so fourth was unbelievable. [I'm] somewhat [surprised]. I was proud of how I did competing, so my result was kind of reflecting on it."
Examiner.com: What were you most pleased about with the preliminary competition?
Savona: "I was pleased that I hit four for four because at the beginning of the year I haven't been myself, but now that I'm starting to come out, it's been showing."
Examiner.com: How weren't you yourself before?
Savona: "For the last two years I've been sidelined with injury. I tore my ACL in February 2008, had surgery in May 2008 and now I'm back."
Examiner.com: What is your goal at the Championships?
Savona: "To show everyone that I'm here. That I can do what I was capable of doing before."
Examiner.com: If you could improve on one thing, what would it be?
Savona: "Cleaning up, hitting my handstands on bars, definitely, and not overrotating and running out on floor."
Examiner.com: What are some skills you're working on in the gym?
Savona: "I'm not yet, but hopefully soon I'll be working a double double twist off bars, and working on a couple connecting releases on bars as well. I'm working on a couple floor skills -- double Arabian pike -- it's an F -- and a double layout."
Examiner.com: The double double off bars -- in a layout position? [Savona currently performs a full-twisting double layout]
Savona: "It is in the layout position, yes."
Examiner.com: Has a Canadian competed that yet?
Savona: "None has yet."
Examiner.com: Are the Olympics on your radar?
Savona: "Yes they are. I'll be 18."
Examiner.com: How about the NCAA?
Savona: "Yes I do. That's what I'm looking forward to after my gymnastics career and after I graduate here."
Examiner.com: Do you have a particular school in mind?
Savona: "Somewhere big. Not exactly -- I like UCLA. They have the top."
Comments