Tenacity takes teen to games
Gymnast Brittany Robertson, 17, would have been tumbling for joy when she got the news she had been waiting for.
The Remuera resident has been named to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games.
‘‘ It means so much to me,’’ she says. ‘‘I am not only competing for myself but also for the country. I know all of my hard work and commitment to my sport has been worth it.’’
The road to Glasgow hasn’t been an easy one. Robertson suffered one shoulder injury after another in 2012.
‘‘My shoulder injuries restricted me from pretty much any training for months.
‘‘They were very loose and unstable so I had to be very careful to make sure they would not pop out again.’’
Robertson returned to full training at the beginning of this year and is now based in Christchurch with Commonwealth team coaches Jozsi Ferencz and Svetlana Sazonova.
Mum Gina Robertson is proud of her daughter’s tenacity.
‘‘Most teenagers would have probably given up but she was determined to make the Commonwealth Games team so since February this year she has fully recovered and been back at gym doing full training again.’’
Robertson trains up to 30 hours a week which leaves little time for school work but the year 13 Diocesan student manages to stay on top of her studies.
Of course a medal is at the top of Robertson’s list but her main goal is to make the apparatus finals.
‘‘The floor is my favourite because it is where you can really go for it, put all your power into your tumbles but also be expressive and graceful with your dance,’’ she says.
Robertson hopes to make the Rio Olympics and next year she will be attending university in the United States.
The gymnastics team will leave for Glasgow on July 14.