Paving her way to Gold
Twenty-five years is a long time to take a break from competitive sport - but Rochelle Richardson is proving that making a ‘‘come back’’ is a road paved with gold.
The 41-year-old recently returned from the New Zealand Masters Games in Dunedin, with a gold medal in gymnastics.
Richardson started gymnastics as an eager 5-year-old with the Matamata Gymnastics Club, under the tutelage of her mum Janice Howland.
‘‘It was just something I found easy, loved and enjoyed doing.’’
‘‘We continued to foster that and train a little bit more.’’
She went from earning badges to medals and worked her way from competitive gymnastics into being selected for both Waikato and National squads.
She was selected for a New Zealand squad, competing in an international competition and trav- elled once a month to Napier with her mum for training.
When Richardson was 15-years-old an injury set her back by six months. She returned to gymnastics but before long she found her priorities had shifted.
‘‘Competing was over both a Saturday and Sunday and we would train morning and afternoon everyday.
‘‘It wasn’t taken lightly. As much as we did enjoy it - it was full on. I had, had enough and I Visit the Matamata Chronicle, Neighbourly.co.nz page to view our video of Rochelle Richardson talking about her experience at the Masters Games. gave up,’’ she said.
She never intended to give up completely, but a career and motherhood to two boys came along first and she put all her effort into raising her family.
Until she was inspired by a photo of a former coach walking on a beam at the 2017 World Masters Games in Auckland. ‘‘I thought I could do that. ‘‘You always love your first sport. You never forget how you felt when you were doing it.’’ She told her mum she wanted to return to gymnastics and Janice resumed the role of coach. Richardson’s immediate goal was the Dunedin New Zealand Masters Games.
She set to work, working on strength and flexibility at Evolve Gym and joined Argos Gymnastics Club in Tauranga.
The first few sessions were routines that would help Richardson see what she was capable of.