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A local gymnast has shared how she's still managing to practice "flips and tricks" outside the gym and how lockdown led her to "one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make".
Rachelle Flambard (19) was nearing the end of her first year at Cardiff Metropolitan University when lockdown started.
She says the covid-19 health crisis has been “one of the most challenging times” she has had to face in her 14 years as a gymnast.
“Due to recent circumstances, I had to stay at university in Cardiff,” she explained. “Staying for me was the best option, but one of the most, toughest decisions I have ever had to make.”
Pictured: Rachelle Flambard took part in the Commonwealth Games in 2018.
Luckily, she has been able to count on the support of the Cardiff Central Youth Club, which she joined five months ago, as she strives to achieve a British qualification for next year, as well as a selection for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.
While Rachelle normally spends 24 hours a week at the club, like many other athletes, she has been kept away from her training grounds since lockdown began.
Having only access to some equipment, she therefore had to be “inventive” and focus her time on working the basics, strengthening and stretching.
Pictured: Rachelle has had to be creative to continue doing “flips and tricks”.
But the lack of equipment hasn't stopped her doing “flips and tricks”.
For example, where she would be working on bars, she has been doing handstands and shape work, as well as upper body conditioning on stairs and door frames.
For beam exercises, she has been doing all skills in a line on the grass and dance routines on pavement edges.
She has also been doing a lot of cardio-based workouts, as well as ballet, yoga and daily challenges from her club.
“I have been able to do at least 14 hours a week. However, this form of training is hugely different to how I would have trained at the gymnastics club,” she explained.
Pictured: “I have been trying to do as much as physically possible everyday," Rachelle said.
“My training has changed significantly during this time - daily conditioning programmes varying in difficulties set by coaches.
“I have been trying to do as much as physically possible everyday, but varying the intensities of the days, some days just doing gymnastics skills.”
“'You can take the girl out of the gym but you can't take gymnastics out of the girl' - it’s the best gymnastics quote for this time and has stuck with me,” she added.
Rachelle has also taken advantage of the lockdown to deal with “niggling injuries” and work on what she describes as her “weakness both physically and mentally” in her sport performance, with the help of her coaches and the team at the Jersey Sport Foundation.
Pictured: Rachelle has been keeping in touch with her gym friends through social media.
She has been in touch both her coaches and gym friends through video conferences.
“Zoom sessions have brought unbelievable amounts of happiness to me in this time. It has also allowed me to be an influential role model to all the younger gymnasts, showing that you can still achieve and improve on gymnastics skills during lockdown,” Rachelle said.
“Keeping in contact with the coaches has been relatively easy, allowing me to gain a better relationship with them and visa versa. I feel that this time will greatly improve my communication with them, and, in turn, a hope for super happy, productive sessions when the gym reopens."
Pictured: Rachelle with her coaches from the Jersey Sport Foundation.
The young athlete has also turned to social media to keep in touch with her loved ones, whom she has been kept away from during lockdown, helping her “hugely” through this time.
“The contact with my friends and family - even just asking, 'How r u' - has greatly helped me to stay emotionally stable and sane through this period of time,” she said.
“Even gymnasts' parents and coaches I have barely spoken to before have messaged me frequently to make sure that I am ok, as they have come to realise my situation.
“It has also allowed me to express how I am coping with the lockdown and show my methods of training to help other people, giving them different ideas.”
Video: Rachelle has been sharing her training in videos.
In addition to her training, Rachelle has been studying for her exams and doing some research on topics of interest to stay busy and distract herself from the emotions brought on by the current situation.
She has also been focusing on some positive thinking, reminiscing on the progress she has made not only over the last five months, but also since the Commonwealth Games 2018.
“My improvements have been astronomical and this giving me the hope and desire to continue to strive for a better version of myself and how much there is still left for me to achieve in the sport,” Rachelle said.
Pictured: Rachelle says "doing somersaults and gymnastics like tricks has kept me happy and sane during this time".
She has taken advantage of the short amount of time she has available off-campus to find places in Cardiff where she can “relax, calm down and reflect on my lockdown experience and appreciating how lucky I am to be in such a beautiful city and physically well".
“Watching the sunsets at Cardiff Bay has been the best place for this,” Rachelle said.
Her “amazing” flatmate has also been a big support, helping make evenings fun with bowling or monopoly games, where the “super competitive personalities” of both have shone.
But gymnastics is where her heart truly lies, as Rachel confessed: “Ultimately, just doing somersaults and gymnastics like tricks has kept me happy and sane during this time.”
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