O Janě Šikulové ze zámoří

Jana Sikulova on the upswing

Prázdninové vydání zámořského časopisu International GYMNAST představuje Janu Šikulovou a její letošní vzestup výkonnosti. Tak si počtěte angličtináři...

GRABBING the gold medal on uneven bars at the French International in March gave Czech gymnast Jana Sikulova her latest upswing in confidence. "Bars has always been my best event," says Sikulova, who placed second on the event at the Europeans in April, and first at the Moscow World Stars in May. "I'm very successful on them because I train them most often. [The French International] was a very good start for me, since it was my first competition of the year."

Sikulova has much in common with the Czechs' better-known Jana, two-time Olympian Jana Komrskova. The two train together under coach Stanislav Vyzina in Brno.

"Jana helps me a lot before competitions," says Sikulova, who has im­paired vision in her left eye. "She tells me what to do, how to avoid mistakes, and things like this." Notes Komrskova: "I'm like her older sister, so she has to listen to me, which she does." ("Sometimes," Sikulova adds quickly with a smirk.)

Born July 2, 1988, Sikulova began training at age 6. "Friends of my parents knew some gymnastics coaches, so they told my parents I might be good at it," she says. "I was very good from the time I was very young. I didn't go just to play. I trained with the older girls from the beginning. I'm strong because I've been doing it this way from a very young age.

Sikulova says she wants to do well in the all-around at this fall's worlds in Aarhus, Den­mark, after a disappointing per­formance at the 2005 Mel­bourne worlds. There, she jammed her knees on floor in training and consequently com­peted on bars only. Sikulova had high hopes for Melbourne, having placed 11th all-around and fifth on bars at the 2005 Europeans.

"After fifth place I started to do a lot better," she recalls. "I trusted myself more, and I became more confident."

More than personal redemption is at stake for Sikulova. She and the Czechs will need good performances in both the 2006 and '07 worlds, to secure individual berths to the Beijing Olympics.

"I want to do my best in the all-around, but we need a strong team to get to the Olympics," says Sikulova. "Jana (Komrskova) is strong enough and I am strong enough, but we are just two. The other girls are not that strong, so we hope they will train hard until the (2006) world champi­onships and that we can get 24th place, to go to another worlds. We have good juniors—three girls—but they can't go this year. So we have to make it for them."

IG/August/2006