SARAH - JUMP ROPE SILVER MEDALIST

On the 8th of July, I travelled from Melbourne to Colorado Springs in the US with 102 Australian athletes to compete in the 2023 World Jump Rope Championships (IJRU) @ijru_jumprope. We were all part of Skipping Australia.

There were a total of 1500 athletes at the championships from 27 countries such as Belgium, France, Denmark, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Hungary, Japan, Puerto Rico, China, amongst others. It was overwhelming to see and meet so many athletes, to have fun with them and to compete against them.

My jump rope journey (skipping) started when I was in grade 2. It was an after school recreational activity, where we were all learning how to jump and do various tricks, such as cross over, speed relay, double Dutch and triple under. You spend 2 years learning how to turn your rope and jump, how to jump in pairs and be synchronised. At the end of each year, you will be part of a concert showing to your audience what you have learned over the year.

In grade 5, you are now involved in State (Victoria only) and National (all Australia States) competitions. If you won a gold, silver or bronze medal, in one of your disciplines you will be selected to attend World Jump Rope competition which is held in a different country every year.

I was selected to go to the world championship in 2022, after winning a silver medal at the national competition for Double Dutch Speed, which was held in Darwin.

It was such a privilege to partake in the world championship competition in Colorado Springs this year. I enjoyed all the hours of training on site, observing other athletes from other countries, but also learning from them, being open minded, and working hard on being consistent with my routines while under the pressure of the competition.

This experience shows that working hard, training for 3 hours, 3 times a week and rehearsing your routine and tricks at home during your free time is the key to success. As we said: ‘Practice makes perfect’.

Thanks to my parents, friends and coaches who always encouraged me and pushed me when I felt down. They helped me to reach my goal and set myself up for success to win a silver medal.

Sarah | Year 9