The 1500km a week commitment gymnast Ruby Pass made as an eight-year-old to reach Paris Olympics
New Olympian Ruby Pass had an attitude which would leave some professional athletes in the shade – in grade three. ROBERT CRADDOCK on the remarkable road an eight-year-old took to kickstart her Olympic dream.
She rose at 4.30am. She travelled 1500km a week. She was just eight years old.
And now she is an Olympian.
This is the remarkable story of Paris bound gymnast Ruby Pass who has nailed her Games dream at age 17 after displaying a deep-seated commitment to her sport which would leave many professional athletes in the shade.
Pass first started the sport at age six when her family were living in Shellharbour in NSW and it soon become evident she had the imagination to think big and the drive to get what she wanted.
“Ruby started training in the gym at Shellharbour which was 2.8kms from our house,’’ said her mother Regina who heeded her daughter’s request for more experienced coaches as her talent blossomed.
“We started training in Sydney six days a week. It was 1500km a week and a minimum of three and a half hours travel a day. She was eight or nine at the time.
“We used to go two or three mornings a week. I would say ‘you are tired. I am tired. Can we sleep in tomorrow?’’ But she would wake up and be ready to go at 4.30am.’’
Ruby was so determined to spread her wings as a gymnast she moved to Brisbane on her own to stay with friends at age 12 before Regina moved up to join her.
Ruby’s twin sister Marli has also moved north while father Chris and brother Liam still reside in Shellharbour.
Three broken wrists and a hamstring injury that lasted 18 months have not dulled her commitment as she trains more than 30 hours a week.
Competing as a 16-year-old at the championships held at Carrara on the Gold Coast last month, Pass won her first senior all around title with a dominant display which also saw her secure gold medals for the vault, uneven bars and floor events. She won four titles in 90 minutes.
“I plan to go as far as my mind and body allows me to in this sport,” Ruby said. “I hope it (Paris) is one of many Olympic Games and international events I get to go to.’’
Pass, who hopes to compete at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics as a 25-year-old, trains at Premier Gymnastics in Brisbane’s Morningside under Misha Barabach, the coach she came to Brisbane as a 12-year-old to join.
Mother Regina has flipped sausages at Bunnings and helped out in chocolate drives to help raise funds for the sport as well as work fulltime as a disability carer.
“This wasn’t just handed to her,’’ Regins aid of Ruby. “She just loves the sport. There has been a lot of negativity around gymnastics but there is more than that.
Gymnastics Queensland CEO Chris Rushton said Ruby’s success was helping inspire a new generation of gymnasts.
“Ruby has made an outstanding transition to senior competition and has well and truly
announced her arrival on the world stage,” Rushton said.
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