James Higgins and Steve Walsh target upset
Great British trampolinist James Higgins knows the size of the challenge both he and Northampton Trampoline Gymnastics Academy stablemate Steve Walsh face in targeting London 2012 medals.
“It’d be an achievement to qualify, but if we do, we’re not there to just enjoy the moment,” he said.
“It’s game on. There will be 16 guys in the event, only eight in the final and it could be there for the taking with the home crowd.” The 27-year-old finished seventh at the 2009 World Championships in Russia but endured a year-long break after a serious foot injury required surgery later that year. “It was brilliant to do it but I was hoping that was the start of more success and, with the injury, I haven’t had many opportunities,” he added. “Now, I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been and the training is on course.”
Walsh, Whittaker-Smith and Higgins (left to right) train in Northampton
That course leads to London 2012. Britain had no representatives in Beijing in 2008. Gary Smith came seventh at Athens 2004. Lee Brearley finished sixth at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 – the first year in which the trampoline was included.
Team GB are not widely tipped to take a medal next summer, with Chinese stars Lu Chunlong and Dong Dong expected to shine again. The British pair are not fazed. “No-one goes to the Olympics to come fourth,” Walsh stated. “People don’t think it’s likely Britain will medal but that’s why we train – to make it more likely.”
Although the HQ for GB trampolining is Bath, the pair are fortunate to have one of the country’s top coaches, Tracy Whittaker-Smith, based at the academy. “She’s one of the best in the world,” Walsh commented. “I wouldn’t trampoline with anyone else. I trust her 100% of the time and I hope we succeed in what we want to do together.” Whittaker-Smith accompanied Jaime Moore to Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, where Moore was reserve.
”I’ve got quite a bit of experience to fall back on,” Whittaker-Smith said.
“It’s going to prove valuable. The first time [at the Olympics] was really exciting and now it’s a case of chasing the Japanese and Chinese athletes. “It’s about confidence in your ability to do what you want to do.”
As well as training camps in Tianjin, Beijing and Moscow, the trio went to Tokyo in February to evaluate the opposition and assess the training methods used by the Japanese. They were encouraged by what they saw.
“It gave us a confidence boost. We saw that what we’re doing is on the right track, only they’ve been doing it for slightly longer,” Walsh reflected.
The next step for Higgins and Walsh is British Trials starting in August and then potentially the all-important Olympic qualification at the World Championships in Birmingham this November.
Only two top-eight finishes will see Great Britain secure two places at the Olympics, and even then, the athletes that earn the places do not automatically go to the Games. “If we both want to go, to give us that chance, we’ve both got to make the final,” said Walsh. “We’re fighting fit but if you want to peak, it’s not a tap you can just turn on.”
Under the auspices of Whittaker-Smith, and in their own country, Higgins and Walsh have every chance of upsetting the odds and competing for honours come next summer. “Amongst the top trampolinists, it’s tiny, tiny margins,” Higgins stated.
“The medals will come from China and Japan but after that, there’s Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany – and us.”
