Injury prone gymnast heads to world artistic titles
Gymnast Gabriel Swan-McLean has a nickname he would dearly like to shake off with a big performance at the upcoming world championships.
Blacktown
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As injury tolls go this one is memorable and it has earned gymnast Gabriel Swan-McLean a nickname he would dearly love to shake.
Stress fractures in the back — twice — stress fractures in the shin and torn cartilage in the wrist.
“They call me the glass cannon because I am explosive but I break easily,” Swan-McLean said.
“I’d love to get a new nickname.”
Even when forced out of the sport for two years, Swan-McLean refused to abandon his goal of winning a world championships medal and competing at an Olympics.
But when he was at home watching teammates compete in major events, including last year’s Commonwealth Game, he did think about it.
It was hard to stay motivated. There was times when I didn’t want to train because everything was so hard.
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“It was hard to miss them but it happens to everyone at some stage,” the gymnast, who recently moved from Camden to Blacktown to be closer to his gym at Rooty Hill, said.
“I just had to accept it.
“It was hard to stay motivated. There was times when I didn’t want to train because everything was so hard.
“I have done this my whole life. I couldn’t see myself not doing it.
“I didn’t want to give up before I reached my goal of a world championship final and medal, a Commonwealth Games and the chance of making an Olympics.”
Swan Maclean said his mother’s encouragement helped keep him in a sport now taking him to the world artistic gymnastics championships in Stuttgart, Germany, as part of the Australian team.
Because of recent injury lay-offs the event is his biggest international ever.
“I’m a little nervous,” he said.
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“I tend to just talk a lot when I’m nervous, become a chatterbox.”
Swan-McLean will contest a floor routine at the championships which runs for 70 seconds.
“The routine has to consist of 10 skills, things like tumble, flips, twists and non acrobatic elements like a press to handstand and splits,’ he said.
“The harder the skills the more valuable your routine.’’
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