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Next
up ... Kanukai Jackson
Gymnastics
looks so difficult - which events do you find the hardest?
Kanukai: I find
rings pretty hard obviously because of all the strength training
that we have to do. High bars are a bit difficult for me as well.
At
what age did you decided/know you wanted to be a gymnast and what
made you decide on what apparatus you wanted to compete
Kanukai: At
about 14 I had to decide whether I was going to train seriously
in gymnastics or play other sports and I decided to stick with gymnastics
because it's probably what I was best at. I didn't want to just
specialise in just one particular event.
What
were you thinking about just before and during your performance?
Kanukai: Just
try and do what I've been doing in training and just to try and
keep as relaxed as possible.
What
is it like winning Gold in a major sporting event like the Commonwealth
Games?
Kanukai: It
feels fantastic! It's the best feeling ever!
What
meant more to you, the team or the individual gold?
Kanukai: The
team - because you work so hard together to get a good result. We
train full time all at the same centre and it's just like a bonding
kind of thing. It's just so good to know that you've helped to achieve
something, not just for yourself, but for other people.
Do
you like to watch how other competitors are doing or do you prefer
to be away from where the action is and switch off and think about
what you are going to do?
Kanukai: Just
to concentrate on what I'm doing. It puts a little bit more pressure
on yourself if you watch somebody else doing really well and you
then think that you have to try and increase your performance beyond
what you're doing. This sometimes leads to making mistakes.
Do
you have a room mate in the athletes village? Who are they and what
are they like?
Kanukai: Yes
I do - I share with Craig Heap on the gym team. He's our captain
and he's good to share with. He's quite funny but he does have smelly
feet!
大象传媒 Host:
We're gonna tell him Kanukai!!!
Very
well done on getting a gold medal !! and good luck in the future!
Kanukai: Thanks
for all your support and I hope you'll be able to come and watch
at some of the competitions.
What
pushes you to try harder when things aren't going quite right in
competition?
Kanukai: That's
a difficult one! I think just that every event is different and
to try and forget the mistake on one piece and then move on to another
one and try and make it the best competition that you can do even
though you had a mistake on a previous piece.
大象传媒 Host:
We like this question so much, we're asking all three athletes this
as their final question: Who or what is your greatest inspiration
when you are competing? And do you have any heroes?
Kanukai: Inspiration,
probably just myself and what I want to achieve in the competition.
I set myself goals and targets and use these to inspire me in the
competition. As for heroes, just most great sports people who have
managed to apply themselves both to this sport and outside of it
such as Mohammed Ali and Michael Johnson.
大象传媒 Host:
Kanukai wants to say goodbye...
Kanukai: Goodbye
to everybody and thanks for the interesting questions.
大象传媒 Host:
You'll be happy to know, we've got an address for you to write your
fan mail to Kanukai... 大象传媒 Host Kanukai Jackson, Gymnastics, Team
England, Commonwealth Games Village, Manchester M52 1XA.
And finally,
Beth Tweddle ...
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