by Anna Rose Johnson
The personification of artistry at 2017 Worlds, 16-year-old Brooklyn Moors of Canada wowed the world in Montréal this October with her graceful dance and connection to her music. Her breathtaking floor exercise mount of a double front with a ½ twist out (Lilia Podkopayeva’s eponymous skill) garnered Moors much praise and recognition throughout the competition. Moors has some renowned (and also artistic!) role models in the sport to guide her: she’s the younger sister of 2012 Olympian Victoria Moors, and she’s coached by two-time Soviet Olympic champion Elvira Saadi at Dynamo Gymnastics in Cambridge. After finishing fifth in the Montreal floor final and 15th in the all-around, Moors has returned to training and is looking forward to 2018. In this interview, she discusses what it was like to compete at her first World Championships.
Originally featured on InsideGym.com
Inside Gymnastics: Tell us a little about yourself and your gymnastics career!
Brooklyn Moors:I started gymnastics when I was just three years old. I saw my older sister, Victoria, doing gymnastics and decided I wanted to do it, too. So I started in kinder classes, and eventually was invited to join a competitive program when I was really little, and worked my way up through invitational and provincial programs, eventually qualifying to national two years ago. I turned senior just last season, and ended up making the Canadian Worlds team. It was so surreal because I never envisioned making it this far, this fast.
Inside: Could you tell us about your experience at 2017 Worlds?
Brooklyn: Worlds was one of my first big competitions, so it was sort of a learning experience for me. I got to compete with some of my idols, which was a dream. I was more excited to compete than I was nervous, and I didn’t have any high expectations for myself going into the competition because I knew just making it on the team to go to Worlds was more than I had ever imagined. Overall, it was one of the best experiences of my life.
Inside: What was it like to win the Longines Prize for Elegance?
Brooklyn: Winning the Longines Prize for Elegance was such an honor. It was nice to be recognized for something that I work hard for on a daily basis. I always had to pay most of my attention to my execution because I didn’t have a lot of difficulty when I was younger, so I’m just happy to know that all that hard work paid off.
Inside: Did you have any input on the choreography of your lovely floor routine?
Brooklyn: I did! I will even sometimes add small poses in without telling anyone, and then Elvira will notice I changed it, and most of the time she likes it!
Inside: How has your training been going?
Brooklyn: My training has been going well. I am currently working on cleaning everything up, consistency, and adding a few upgrades!
Inside: When will your next competition be?
Brooklyn: My next upcoming competition will be Elite Canada at the end of January, and then I have been invited to compete at the American Cup 2018 in March. I am so excited about competing at the American Cup. It was always on my list of dream competitions.
Inside: What are your goals for 2018?
Brooklyn: I try not to set specific goals before the year starts and take it more by competition to competition. I do my best to focus more on working towards one meet at a time and fix any mistakes I previously made or to make any adjustments needed.
Inside: What are your long-term gymnastics goals? Is Tokyo 2020 a goal?
Brooklyn: My biggest goal has always been to go to the Olympics. Tokyo 2020 is definitely a goal.
Inside: What are some of your favorite competition memories?
Brooklyn: One of my favorite competition memories was when I had just finished my floor routine at Worlds in Montreal, and as I walked off the floor, the crowd was cheering extremely loud and that was the moment I knew all the struggles and hard times I pushed through were all worth it.
Inside: Who are some gymnasts that you admire?
Brooklyn: Some gymnasts I admire are my sister Victoria, my coach Elvira Saadi, Aliya Mustafina and Nastia Liukin.
Fun Facts about Brooklyn
FAVORITE COLOR:
Red
PETS:
“We have a few cats.”
FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA SITE:
Instagram
FUN OUTSIDE THE GYM:
“I love to bake (for other people because I can’t have it!), and spend time with friends.”
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Anna Rose Johnson writes about women’s artistic and rhythmic gymnastics. She loves Whippets, brownies, and full-twisting double layouts. Her writing portfolio can be viewed at: https://annarosejohnson.contently.com
