In Her “Shoes” By: Megan Tilley
Silvia Colussi-Pelaez, 16, starts her warm-up routine with deep stretches before she hits the floor to practice the first of her four events - beam, bars, floor and vault.
Pelaez trains 32 hours a week. Her life consists of attending Abbey Park High School, and then heading over to Oakville Gymnastics where she trains from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. every Monday to Friday. Her dedication is far-reaching, as she previously attended Thomas A. Blakelock High School, but switched schools because her gym is right beside Abbey Park, making access and travel more accomadating.
Pelaez is busy training for the European Gymnastics Championships, which will take place one month from now in Brussels, Belgium. She is also preparing to attend the summer Olympics training camp-selection for Spain, of who she has previously competed for.
It takes an hour to warm up her muscles properly to ensure she does not risk sustaining an injury. Here she climbs up (and then down) a rope, using only her upper body to pull her. Meanwhile, she keeps her legs perfectly straight the entire time, without breaking a stride, she makes it to the top and then bottom in less than a minute.
Pelaez and a fellow competitor and friend effortlessly hold a hand-stand for a full minute without flinching.
It’s hard work - but Pelaez explains that it’s all in how you’re feeling that day, that really determines how you will succeed.
“These kids don’t have much of a life outside of training, but then they get it paid for,” says Kelly Manjak - one of Pelaez’s coaches who explained that after all of her hard work, the gymnast plans to attend Florida State Univeristy, after her graduation in 2013.
Pelaez takes her position at one end of the floor, analyzing how she will prepare her first acrobatic flip.
Pelaez stands in front of a pile of chalk dust, what the gymnasts apply to their feet before they make their way down the floor.
Pelaez holds what appears to be a rather uncomfortable pose in the middle of her floor routine.
The hard working gymnast takes a breather, fixes her hair and regroups from her first few floor run-throughs.
Pelaez stops once again to chalk up her feet before venturing out onto the floor to repeat her dance gymnast routine.
Flexibility is essential in the world of gymnastics, and Pelaez is no stranger to displaying the tight form and function that helps her achieve great performances.
Pelaez stands on the vault to test out how she will approach her first jump.
Pelaez makes her first jump, spiraling quickly in the air.
Defeated, Pelaez is frustrated as her landing was not to her liking.
Pelaez takes a moment to regain herself physically and emotionally before she attempts the next jump.
She moves to the beam and mounts it in preparation for her routine.
Pelaez’s finishing pose that she holds for 10 seconds before continuing her routine.