Naomi bids for World Cup glory in Italy

April 2009

Fourteen-year-old Naomi Doherty from Muirhevnamor will be carrying the flag for Ireland when she competes in the Gymnastics World Cup in Pesaro, Italy.

This will be the culmination of seven years’ work for the dedicated young gymnast who will be taking part in the rhythmic category.

Naomi, a second-year student at St Vincent’s Secondary School, Dundalk, attends Gymnastics North East.

‘She began going to classes when she was seven and right from the start her coach Valentina Culicova recognised her as having talent,’ says Naomi’s mum Sandra.

Naomi practices seven days a week, attending classes with Gymnastics North East in the Redeemer Community Centre and Blackrock.

In the run up to competing in the World Cup, she has had to increase her training schedule to over 20 hours a week in order to build up her flexibility and strength.

Already an All-Ireland champion, she is hoping to get a world ranking after competing in Italy at Pesaro’s Adriatic Arena. The event runs from April 28 to May 2.

For the rhythmic competition she will be performing with ribbons, balls, hoops and clubs.

Naomi will compete and train alongside Beijing Olympic champions: Russian champion Eugenia Kaneava, Ukraine’s bronze medallist Anna Bessonova and Azerbaijan’s Aliya Garayeva to name but a few.

When she competed in Maribor, Slovenia in 2003 she was fortunate enough to meet Olympic World Champion Alena Kabeava from Russia and Bulgaria’s bronze medallist Elizabeth Paisieva.

Members from Gymnastics North East, coaches, parents and friends wish Naomi every success in Italy.