- Joined
- Oct 27, 2004
Featured in the May 2006 issue of International Gymnast magazine, Mexico's Elsa Garcia told IG this week she is optimistic about her chances at this fall's World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark.
"I hope I can get a good ranking in the all-around and in all the events, too," said Garcia, who finished fifth all-around at the American Cup held in Philadelphia in March. "I want to put Mexico's name in gymnastics higher than it is today."
Garcia said the Mexican team's goal is to place at least 22nd in Aarhus. That position would enable Mexico to proceed to the 2007 Worlds in Stuttgart. The 2007 Worlds will serve to qualify teams and individuals for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The Mexican women placed 18th at the 2003 Worlds in Anaheim, which qualified them for two individual berths at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
Garcia is currently recovering from a knee injury suffered at the Pacific Alliance Championships, held in Honolulu in March. On her first event (vault), she hyper-extended her knee and withdrew from the competition.
At the 2004 Junior Pacific Alliance Championships, also held in Honolulu, Garcia tied Jana Bieger of the U.S. for the gold medal on vault. Garcia finished second all-around at the 2004 Junior Pan American Games in El Salvador. First and third, respectively, were Americans Kassi Price and Natasha Kelley.
Although Garcia missed the recent Mexican Championships because of her knee injury, she plans to be ready for the Central American Games in July. She said the Mexican team will compete in Europe prior to Worlds, which will be held in late October.
Garcia, who trains under husband-and-wife coaches Antonio Barraza and Tere Lopez at Regio Gymnastics Club in Monterrey, is also looking to follow the international success of compatriots Denisse Lopez and Brenda Magana.
At the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Lopez became the first Mexican gymnast to qualify for an Olympic final, and placed eighth on vault. Lopez was also the first Mexican gymnast to make a World Championships final; she finished sixth on vault at the 1999 Worlds in Tianjin.
Magana became the second Mexican gymnast to make a Worlds final; she placed eighth on floor exercise at the 2002 Worlds in Debrecen, Hungary. Magana and Laura Moreno went on to represent Mexico at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
"I am just making my own way through international gymnastics, doing things my coaches' and my way," said Garcia. "But it's great to know that Mexico has had a past in gymnastics, even if we haven´t had a past like many other countries. I can help the team between now and 2008 by always doing the best that I can to represent my country proudly."
International Gymnast Magazine Related Features
"IG Profile: Elsa Garcia" (May 2006)
"Mexican Evolution" - Magana profile (November 2002)
"Regio Club Gimnastico" - profile (January 2001)
"Mexican Revolution" - Lopez profile (February 2000)
To subscribe to International Gymnast magazine or order back issues, click here.
"I hope I can get a good ranking in the all-around and in all the events, too," said Garcia, who finished fifth all-around at the American Cup held in Philadelphia in March. "I want to put Mexico's name in gymnastics higher than it is today."
Garcia said the Mexican team's goal is to place at least 22nd in Aarhus. That position would enable Mexico to proceed to the 2007 Worlds in Stuttgart. The 2007 Worlds will serve to qualify teams and individuals for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
The Mexican women placed 18th at the 2003 Worlds in Anaheim, which qualified them for two individual berths at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
Garcia is currently recovering from a knee injury suffered at the Pacific Alliance Championships, held in Honolulu in March. On her first event (vault), she hyper-extended her knee and withdrew from the competition.
At the 2004 Junior Pacific Alliance Championships, also held in Honolulu, Garcia tied Jana Bieger of the U.S. for the gold medal on vault. Garcia finished second all-around at the 2004 Junior Pan American Games in El Salvador. First and third, respectively, were Americans Kassi Price and Natasha Kelley.
Although Garcia missed the recent Mexican Championships because of her knee injury, she plans to be ready for the Central American Games in July. She said the Mexican team will compete in Europe prior to Worlds, which will be held in late October.
Garcia, who trains under husband-and-wife coaches Antonio Barraza and Tere Lopez at Regio Gymnastics Club in Monterrey, is also looking to follow the international success of compatriots Denisse Lopez and Brenda Magana.
At the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Lopez became the first Mexican gymnast to qualify for an Olympic final, and placed eighth on vault. Lopez was also the first Mexican gymnast to make a World Championships final; she finished sixth on vault at the 1999 Worlds in Tianjin.
Magana became the second Mexican gymnast to make a Worlds final; she placed eighth on floor exercise at the 2002 Worlds in Debrecen, Hungary. Magana and Laura Moreno went on to represent Mexico at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
"I am just making my own way through international gymnastics, doing things my coaches' and my way," said Garcia. "But it's great to know that Mexico has had a past in gymnastics, even if we haven´t had a past like many other countries. I can help the team between now and 2008 by always doing the best that I can to represent my country proudly."
International Gymnast Magazine Related Features
"IG Profile: Elsa Garcia" (May 2006)
"Mexican Evolution" - Magana profile (November 2002)
"Regio Club Gimnastico" - profile (January 2001)
"Mexican Revolution" - Lopez profile (February 2000)
To subscribe to International Gymnast magazine or order back issues, click here.
