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Younger gymnast Dojanae Garwood.
SITTING between each her dad and mom in a sales space at a restaurant in Montego Bay, 10-year-old Dojanae Garwood didn’t maintain again because it pertains to her aspirations as a gymnast.
“I wish to be the primary Jamaican woman to go to the Olympics and win and medal,” she mentioned in a latest interview with the Jamaica Observer.
She attracts her inspiration from probably the most profitable gymnasts, probably the most prolific the game has ever produced.
“I really used to observe movies after I was smaller,” she mentioned. “There’s this gymnast known as Simone Biles, and I completely adored her and I used to practise at house, after which mommy and daddy noticed they usually determined to place me in gymnastics.”
If she is profitable in her quest Garwood would go one step additional than Olympians Toni Ann Williams and Danusia Francis, who’ve made their technique to the Olympics however have didn’t medal.
Dojanae, a grade-five pupil at Montego Bay Preparatory Faculty within the western metropolis, is seemingly on the quick observe to creating that dream a actuality.
“I feel it was two years in the past after they went to the Dominican Republic doing the gymnastics; she did exceptionally effectively. She got here third in Dom Rep general as a pre-USA Gymnastics, stage three,” her mom Natalie Garwood instructed the Observer.
“She got here first in beam, second in bars, second in vault and general third. There have been many nations that have been represented there, I feel it was over 15.
“After that she went to Jamaica Faculty of Gymnastics Traditional and he or she got here first. They picked from that now the staff to characterize Jamaica and so she grew to become a part of the all star staff that represented Jamaica in Panama in 2023. When she went, she got here first general.”
Natalie mentioned her daughter had began her gymnastics journey at Montego Bay based mostly outfit, First Dance Studio however having recognised the progress that she was making, she was moved to Nishida’s in Kingston. Then got here her first occasion in representing Jamaica at an occasion.
“She was positioned in stage two USAG,” Natalie mentioned. “She’s now not in pre — she is now within the full USAG aggressive programme. She spent like two months in stage two, she did the trials they usually put her in stage three. She spent 5 months in stage three after which she went and competed at Carifta.
“She is the one one from Montego Bay that went to Carifta to characterize Jamaica, in order that they picked the Carifta staff based mostly on assessments over the three months, and he or she was the one stage three to medal for Jamaica on the Carifta. She obtained a bronze on the Carifta for beam.”
Dojanae says the beam is certainly one of her sturdy occasions however she thrives throughout a lot of the others as effectively.
“I do really feel good on beam, I like ground, however I’m greatest on beam and vault,” she mentioned. “I additionally like doing ground routines since you get to bounce across the ground, after which you might have more room, and also you get to precise your ardour.”
Dancing is one other main ardour, and Natalie says it was throughout an occasion when her daughter was about 5 that they realised that she had expertise.
“Throughout COVID, whereas she was at house, she was invited to a birthday celebration and a younger woman mentioned to us that after they have been dancing, she was dancing to the beat,” Natalie mentioned. “She was simply creating these strikes to the beat and [the young lady] mentioned to me, ‘Why don’t you set her in dance class as a result of there’s something completely different about her.’ “
That led to bounce colleges the place her expertise shortly shone by, and it was whereas at First Dance she was inspired to take up gymnastics, the place she has since made an impression.
Her mom mentioned she is making nice progress in direction of her dream and defined that she has now scored out of her group, based mostly on the scoring system, the factors she would have gathered for stage three.
“The coach is now pondering of transferring her to the Xcel programme, and it’s a programme the place you create your individual routine as a substitute of the obligatory routine,” Natalie mentioned. “That offers them a aggressive edge sooner, which might presumably cause them to getting chosen for greater competitions just like the Olympics sooner.
“She has began practising at stage 4 stage, and though you’re doing the Xcel there are nonetheless some obligatory parts that we should accomplish just like the double flip, cartwheels on beam, and so forth.”
The outcomes of her most up-to-date occasion have given her and her dad and mom extra confidence as she motors on in direction of her aim.
“We went into Bahamas and he or she got here fifth general at stage three, after which we went to USA in January and he or she got here first general in Orlando on the Sand Greenback/Whitlow Invitational,” Natalie mentioned. “Then we went over to Texas on the Simone Byles Worldwide Invitational and he or she got here second general for stage three.
“If you discuss competitors, that’s the actual competitors. You had the US groups of their house house and he or she was capable of dominate like that.”
What has been spectacular is that Dojanae is barely capable of practice formally as soon as every week as she solely goes to Kingston on a Saturday to coach on the facility.
“It’s a dedication, it’s a sacrifice, however we see what we’re reaping as a result of different youngsters get the possibility to have observe within the week whereas she solely has to utilize the observe on weekends for 4 hours,” Natalie mentioned.
“What we have now been doing at house is our personal conditioning, so within the mornings we have now remodeled the house right into a health club. She has her bar at house, she has her beam, a tumble mat, pull up bar, and dumbbells.”
Her father Delroy says they’ll do no matter is required to make her dream a actuality.
“Although very costly, I’ll work my fingers off simply to make sure that the cash is there for her to journey the world to go to those meets,” he mentioned. “Yearly she must be travelling at the least thrice to completely different nations, and I stay up for that.
“She is worked up. She is doing what she loves, and since she is doing what she loves and wifey is doing what she loves — she likes to journey — so long as they’re completely satisfied, I’m completely satisfied.”
Whereas, nevertheless, highlighting unwavering assist for his daughter in her quest, he’s urging sponsors to come back on board if they will.
“It’s very costly. And the price for simply the programme in Jamaica, it’s pricey, and simply to be part of the entire gymnastics organisation in Jamaica, it’s pricey — as a result of we don’t have any sponsors at this stage. The dad and mom should foot all of the payments till they’re at a selected stage the place you may get exterior sponsorship,” he mentioned.
“It could be good for company Jamaica to see a expertise and see how greatest they will help in channelling this ability in order that, at the least at some extent time, if you happen to can see her on the massive stage you’ll be able to say, ‘Wow, I additionally assisted that little woman to succeed in the place she is.’ ”
He’s now trying ahead to the long run as he believes they might have a significant determination to make.
We’re keen to uproot,” Delroy mentioned. “She needs to go to Immaculate Conception Excessive Faculty. It’s simply throughout from Shortwood Instructor’s School, the place Nishida’s Gymnastics is positioned, and we’re keen.”
Getting her college of alternative shouldn’t be a problem both as they mentioned Dojanae continues to shock them along with her varied abilities which, aside from the gymnastics and dancing, additionally embrace faucet dancing and athletics, whereas she has been doing effectively in class.
“In her teachers she has simply been excelling,” Natalie mentioned. “She is now sporting the badge for grade 4 PEP — fifth place general highest scorer at her college. She is a sub-prefect and he or she has her honour roll pins.”
Dojanae (centre) and her dad and mom Delroy (left) and Natalie Garwood.
Garwood’s medals.
Dojanae along with her household.
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