Friday, July 17, 2009

Sims Talks Exclusively to IG

International Gymnast has an interesting interview with Chloe Sims as she talks about her return to competitive gymnastics.

"I do not wish any of the future gymnasts to have to compete not only with other athletes but also the unnecessary politics within the sport," she told IG. "It can ruin so many dreams and waste so much potential for Australia to become an even stronger competitor in the world. On a more positive note, I am starting university next week, studying business and majoring in management. I hope to one day open a tattoo and piercing studio in Australia."

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

could it sound anymore like the storyline to "Stick It!"

Wolfie said...

I love her.

You tell 'em, Chloe! I hope she writes a book one day.

Anonymous said...

It's a bit of a cop out to still be blaming other people. She burnt a lot of bridges with her behaviour over the years. Considering she was such an amazingly gifted natural athlete she could've achieved so much more if she'd just pulled her head in instead of having to be so rebellious. I'm not saying she had to become some vacuous robot but her attitude was definitely an issue.

Sying she wouldn't be welcomed back is going a bit too far. She might not be welcomed back with open arms but I'm sure the return of a Commonwealth Games champ would be met with some delight. She made the Comm Games team and World's team and probably would've made the Olympic team if she'd been in good shape. When you compare how she met with adversity with someone like Dasha you can really see the difference in attitude. Dasha missed the Commonwealth Games in her home country and she used that as motivation to become a better athlete.

I'm still sad to hear about her not being able to persue a collegiate career. I think the less ridgid environment would've suited her more and she would finally live up to her potential.

Wolfie said...

She's still young and she's no doubt still hurting from her experiences. She's had the courage to speak up about a system that only wants obedience and compliance - right down to hair style.

I don't think her comments are a cop out. On the contrary, I think it would be more of a cop out if she didn't speak up.

She may be exaggerating the situation, she may even be leaving out her role in the situation, but she was a kid - a kid who probably could have been handled more sensitively by the adults in the system. People need to understand that a spunky personality needs to be handled differently in order to bring out the best. Her spunk was both her friend and her foe. But the adults in her life should have been the ones to try other methods.

Step It Up: said...

Chloe is a champ! Love you Chlo! :D

Anonymous said...

good on you chloe for speaking up about your experiences. i wish more gymnasts had the guts to do what you have done.

all the best!