PURSUITS World Jump Rope Domination
On the podium for Canada, Sydney Nicholls earned a 3rd overall during the China Open International Jump Rope Competition in Beijing. (Photo by Eilea Given)
Continued From Page 8 Internationally, Sydney earned 3rd overall at the 2019 China Open; 11th overall in the 14 and under at the 2019 World Jump Rope Championships in Oslo, Norway, (Sydney and Leaper team mate Sofia Stadler both placed 4th in their masters freestyle divisions); and 6th overall in the 11-12 year category at the 2018 international competitions in Orlando, Florida. (The Lincoln Leaper team got second in the double Dutch speed event.) Now, “it’s my dream to be on the Canadian national team and compete at the Olympics,” says Sydney. CHINA OPEN Sydney was one of only two athletes from Ontario, including world champion Eilea Given and four athletes from British Columbia to compete in the China Open. Their arrival coincided with the country’s celebration of its 70th year of communism. “It was amazing. Everybody was nice, and
helpful, ready to give directions and help out,” said Sydney. She survived mainly on white rice and touring the sights there were many curious cameras pointed in her direction. It was a big change with the time difference and they had to compete two days after landing. It was an outdoor venue for the international competition and they learned just the night before competitions started they would have to use jump ropes provided by the Chinese and had no opportunity to practise. “I just tried to go with it,” Sydney said. For Eilea it was also an exciting adventure and her spectacular photos of Sydney will be a treasured memory. “Sydney and I were training partners, we met at least once a week to train together. We were the only two athletes from Ontario who competed in China. She is 13 and I am 30, and we both had an excellent season in 2019,” Eilea said.
A member of the ‘Thirty No Hurty’ team in Fonthill and multiple gold medalist, Eilea put up the fastest score ever recorded at the World Jump Rope Championships in the female 30+ category in 2019 in Oslo, Norway. “Sydney gives me the benefit of her energy, and I (try to) give her the benefit of my experience in the sport. She is certainly not afraid of hard work, and matches me stride for stride in our training. It has been such a beautiful and wonderful privilege to get to watch her develop into the athlete she is now and is yet becoming. Canada has a lot to look forward to in watching this athlete perform.” LINCOLN LEAPERS It would be hard to count the hours and commitment Tim brings to supporting the Leapers. His positive enthusiasm sets the stage for success. “The relationship between the older January/February 2020 | clubwest.ca
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