For years, there has been the conviction in the Egiba School of Gymnastics, in El Congost de Manresa, who have early talent at the club. One of those that appear very occasionally and should be followed carefully. It has not been necessary to wait long to see all the good things that could be sensed along the way. At the start of the world Cupthis past week in Cottbus (Germany), in what was his first international appearance with the senior team, Laura Font (Gironella, 2007) performed at an excellent level at the age of 16 and was only two tenths away from the bronze medal in the jump event, which went to a sports myth, the Uzbek Oksana Chusovitina47 years old, with eight appearances in Olympic events (13,016).
“It was a spectacular experience, which I would undoubtedly repeat again”, acknowledges the woman herself. Laia. “It was his debut in the First Division and we didn’t know how he would react,” he explains Xavi Casimirohis coach at the Egibawho is also part of the technical staff of the Federation and the team he directs Lucia Guisado. “But she wasn’t scared at all. To fourth place in vault she added ninth in floor, where she was the first reserve. If she had tuned in a little more, she might have entered. Although she is very young, I think he can count on the Spanish team, ”remarks the coach.
In a season full of important challenges, such as the European in Turkey in April and then on Antwerp World Cup (October 29 to November 6), where nine team places will be put into play for the Paris 2024 Gamesher irruption in Cottbus is still exciting and another sample of the quality that she already pointed out in the junior category (fourth in vault and sixth in parallel in the European).
“With her, you don’t have to be in a hurry, but she has everything to reach the highest level,” he says. Casimirwhen he is reminded of other important names in artistic gymnastics such as that of the Balearic Elena Gomezworld champion in 2002, or that of Madrid Patricia Moreno, who was Olympic bronze medalist in Athens 2004. “People think she is very talented and hard-working. But she is also very ambitious and a very good competitor, ”he remarks about Laia, whom he considers a complete gymnast, very valid for the all-around competition and who manages well both in jumps, on the floor, bar or asymmetrical. “Can Paris be an option? It’s not what she would touch him. But if she arrives, it will be something that will fall from heaven ”, assures the coach, who believes that the weight of the team now falls on Ana Pérez, Alba Petisco or Roxana Popa.
Gymnastics has a family component for Laia Source. It was her sister Carla de ella, four years older than her, who introduced her to the sport after trying others such as swimming and skating. “My sister used to do it and I also wanted to try it. One of the things that I liked is that it is a very competitive sport”, she revealed in a documentary that can be found on YouTube with the two sisters as protagonists, in which Laia explains that she started in gymnastics in Gironella and since she was 5 years old he trains in Manresa, about six hours a day from Monday to Saturday, with Sunday as the only public holiday. “We put in a lot of hours, but that doesn’t mean any sacrifice, because it’s something we like. When I was younger, I preferred going to train than going to the park to play with my friends”, she says.
“I want to increase the difficulty to have even more competitive exercises,” Laia herself remarks to this newspaper, in a show of ambition, having become one of the few gymnasts who has not moved to Madrid, where most of the components of the Spanish team, although Xavi Casimiro He considers it a beneficial plus because it allows them to stay in a familiar environment and not change their habits. “Almost all the gymnasts are in the Blume”, clarifies the Egiba coach. “But we as a club are satisfied that our gymnasts, both Laia and Lorraine Medinawho is now in university, want to stay at home and not add more sacrifices to a life that is already very demanding”.
