Catherine Lyons is an outstanding elite gymnast from Dulwich, England where she trains at Europa DC and is coached by former international elite gymnast Rochelle Douglas. Lyons is the British Junior National Champion and stands out with her expressive choreography and beautifully artistic gymnastics. She is currently 14 years old and will become a senior level gymnast in 2016. We spoke with both Lyons and Douglas about their accomplishments and goals this year.

How did it feel to win the British Championships? 

As always, it was a massive honor to win the British title. I had won the English Championships a few weeks earlier with a few mistakes and I knew everyone had expectations for me to do it again. So I actually felt the pressure to win, but my focus was on having a clean competition and knew if I did this the result would follow. So I would say it was relief more than surprise.

 

What was the highlight of the meet for you?

 

The highlight of the meet was definitely getting through my bar routine! Although I train best on bars it's the one piece in competition I nearly always seem to make a mistake on, which now makes me really nervous going into that rotation. I was so happy to get through the two days of competition without falling on that piece although I did have to revert back to an old routine because I just couldn't get the timing of the bars during podium training.

Tell us about your floor routine. Does the choreography have a story?

 

The floor music is the one I had when I was nine. I only used it for a year before my coach said I think we should change and come back to this floor if I become an international gymnast, as the music is very original. So I was really pleased when we discussed now being the time. The choreography starts the same and gradually builds and matures to remind me of my journey through gymnastics. It has lots of rise and fall sections to remind me that with the worst lows come the highs as long as I keep getting back up with the same enthusiasm and effort as before.

What is your favorite event to compete on?

 

This season it was definitely floor, as I was excited to compete my new routine. It's the one piece where you can really show off with your artistry and skill. Every gymnast has a different style and I feel on floor you can express yourself the most; drawing the audience into your performance.

 

Is there a particular event that you’re looking to improve on the most?

 

I’m definitley looking to improve my bars. It is my most inconsistent piece in competition and to be able to compete with the seniors in the all around I really need to be able to produce a clean routine with a higher difficulty and execution.

 

What upgrades and new skills are you working on?

 

I had consolidated quite a few upgrades in training and had a competition in May where I competed my Maloney into Shang on bars again, and my 1.5 Y scale on beam. A one and a half punch double on floor, split leap ring full and a double Y spin.  After I finished floor I felt a pain in my foot which turned out to be a stress fracture. I was unable compete vault which was a real shame for me as I warmed up my double twisting Yurchenko and was really excited about competing it.

 

I also had other upgrades on beam, floor and bars that were ready to go in once my new upgrades were executed in competition.

 

What are your goals for the remainder of 2015? 

 

My main aim for this year was EYOF and to hopefully make finals and win medals there, but that is now out of the question due to the stress fracture sustained during my last competition. So now my aim will be to see if I can maintain my fitness whilst in a boot and perhaps get ready to compete in the Japan Cup in September. Unfortunately I'm not age eligible for Worlds as I'm still only 14.
 

Who are your idols in gymnastics? Who do you look up to the most?

 

My idol in gymnastics would be Beth Tweddle. She had such an amazing career and showed that British gymnasts do have potential to achieve medals at major internationals. I also look up to all the American gymnasts, they are so talented and hardworking and have great mind sets.

 

What has been your favorite competition in your career thus far?

 

It has to be the Europeans. I had such a great time with the team experiencing the big international stage and it made me open my eyes and want more opportunities to compete and challenge for medals in competitions like that.

 

What are your longer term goals for your gymnastics career?

 

My main goal is getting into the Olympic team for Rio 2016. I would really like to do all the big internationals I can do, Worlds, Commonwealth Games and Europeans. Until this time last year I had never had an injury, but since I was out of the gym for six weeks with concussion I have struggled to keep niggles and injuries at bay. So my long term aim has to be to stay fit because as my disappointment with EYOF has shown it doesn't matter what my aim is or how hard I train my skills I have to be fit at the time of the competitions, so my long term aim has to be to do everything in my power to prevent and avoid injury.

Coach Rochelle Douglas

 

What was it like seeing Catherine win the British Championships?

 

It's always a highlight to have a British Champion and not a thing I ever take for granted. To be honest, we really wanted to be out there with the seniors, as next year they will be her competition but, that being said, watching her deal with the pressure of being the favorite and then come out on the second day even stronger was really good. The best thing for me is that at competition she is very independent so I really do just get to take a step back and enjoy her performances with everyone else.

 

What will you and Catherine be focusing on in the next few months?

 

As Catherine said, the main plan for the year was EYOF and everything was heading in the right direction, with routine upgrades being consolidated and competed, with time to work on extra upgrades for the end of the year. But her stress fracture has obviously knocked us back and the rest of the year once out of the boot will now be on regaining fitness, and then skills again, and planning how we can minimize risk of injury. Since Catherine was out of the gym completely last year for 6 weeks her body has really been working against her from never being injured to having constant niggles and stresses that we are struggling to reduce.

 

What are Catherine's strengths as a gymnast? What areas need improvement?

 

Catherine's strength would probably be her optimism. She doesn't always physically feel gymnastics in the way she has worked hard to portray. She has had to really graft to learn new skills and consolidate them, whilst others in the gym might pick things up more easily, but once she wants to do something, and sets her mind to it, she will work until it's done, no matter how long it takes. Her classic line is " Rochelle have a little faith in me, I can do this."

 

Although Catherine is young (31 August 2000) she has the body of a senior and next year will have to compete as one, so she really needs now to look after her body outside of the gym as well as in the gym, paying close attention to nutrition, recovery, sleep, etc. and start developing the mentality of a senior and understand it's a big leap to make into the senior ranks.

 

How do your experiences as a top elite gymnast help you as a coach?

 

I think the fact that "I've been there, done that, and DIDN’T get that Olympic T shirt" is what helps me the most.  I don't regret all the time and effort I put into gymnastics and this has made me quite meticulous in trying to make sure my gymnasts have as little shoulda, woulda, coulda regrets at the end of their career (regardless of what they ultimately achieve), by providing them with as much knowledge as possible.

 

I know how it feels to achieve and to be disappointed and I know how quickly time goes by, so I try to encourage them to make the most of every minute of training and enjoy every opportunity they get, as I know these will be memories they will cherish forever.


Related:
British Senior Champion Amy Tinkler on 2015 Goals