Iwilei Gym: 501 Sumner Street #602, Honolulu, HI 96817
Voice: 808.537.5481 Fax: 808.585.8998
Kalihi Gym: 1314 Mo’onui Street, Honolulu, HI 96817
Email: info@hawaiiacademy.com Webpage: www.hawaiiacademy.com
USA Gymnastics National News: www.usa-gymnastics.org/tt/
For Honolulu Advertiser Report: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Sep/17/sp/sp21a.html
Globe-trotter, Nani Vercruyssen, became the first ever foreign athlete to compete in the 32nd All-Japan Junior National Trampoline Championships in Kaminoyama City (Yamagata Prefecture), won a gold medal in the highest category, and set a record for the most difficulty routine performed (score = 33.3; DD=11.3) in her age group.
Vercruyssen was the only foreigner among 400 of Japan’s top qualifying trampolinists in three categories: grades 1-3, 4-6, and 7-9. Because she is ranked as one of the top three 12 year olds in the world, she competed in the 13-16 age group (grades 7-9). Not only did she win the competition, she also set a record for the most difficult routine performed in the 32-year history of the event. Vercruyssen was given (duplicate) national champion honors, acknowledged as the first outsider invited, and congratulated for her world level achievements, all in Japanese. At the World Age Group Games in Germany last October, Vercruyssen performed more flips and twists in her routine than anyone in her age group (< 12 years), including boys. Then her degree of difficulty was 10.2 (the highest boy DD was 10.0). In Japan she performed an 11.3 (the next most difficult girl’s routine was 8.3 and boy’s routine was 10.0). Although less than five feet tall, she bounces 20 feet in the air and in her 10 bounce routine she does 19 flips and eight twists (with no skills repeated) during her 17 seconds in the air.
Vercruyssen, ‘the postman’ (so called because she delivers no matter the situation), overcame jet lag, unusually hot summer temperatures, and total emersion into the Japanese culture (virtually no English spoken) to win national champion honors. She trained with world champions and the Japanese national coaches, stayed in Japanese Inns (Ryokan), and ate traditional meals (including raw egg breakfasts). The hardest part of this trip was adapting to the foreign culture, language, diet, and lifestyle. Growing up in Hawaii made things much easier than it would have been if she were coming from the mainland where there is much less exposure to Japanese life. ‘Nani’s appearance at the meet was so unusual that she was initially greeted with stares but by the end of the competition she had become a nationally recognized and enthusiastically supported colleague, like a celebrity to some of the younger athletes,’ said Dr Max her coach and father. ‘This was a wonderful opportunity and we are grateful for being able to bring Hawaii and USA Gymnastics to Japan. Being the first invited is a great honor. We have been asked to return twice next year: to this meet again and to their elite national championships … we hope to go to both.
This trip concludes Vercruyssen’s 30-month competitive schedule. She now reduces the intensity of her training to 2-3 days per week of trampoline (and artistic gymnastics) training and daily aerobics for 10 weeks. During this break she will move from Hokulani Elementary School to Kaimuki Middle School where she looks forward to making new school friends and trying a fall sport. She eagerly anticipates learning to surf and do other new activities deemed too risky during her season. She is expected to grow 2-3 inches more this fall. Then the globetrotting resumes with competitions in Russia, Belarus, two in the Netherlands, two in Canada, two in Japan, and six trips to the mainland US. Unfortunately, junior athletes must obtain 100% of their travel expenses from sponsors and donations (if you would like to help phone 537.5481 or see the development page on www.hawaiiacademy.com).
Vercruyssen ends her season having represented the United States (and Hawaii) in six international meets and winning gold at the national championships, silver at the U.S. (Elite) Championships, gold at the IndoPacific Championships, gold at the All-Japan Junior Championships, bronze at the Pan Am Championships, and 5th at the World Age Group Games. She is probably one of the top three athletes in the world in her age group (< 12 years) and holds records for performing the most difficult routines (DD=12). After more than two years of intense daily training she now gets a rest and an opportunity to correspond by email with the many friends she has made all over the world. Congratulations, Nani, welcome home, and enjoy, at least for a couple of months, being a 12 year old in Hawaii …