If I could make any changes to my body, it would be to get smaller. In Gymnastics,
it's essential to be small, otherwise you haven't got a chance- you simply can't
do the exercises. I've always been small. Right through school I was the smallest
in my class. All the pounding of vaults, floor exercises, bars and beam, and hitting
the floor stops you growing. I don't worry about being this size forever because
I know that the moment I stop I'll shoot up, maybe four or five inches. It's the
same with puberty; I haven't gone through that yet. The training- a total of five
hours, six days a week -delays it. Usually Gymnasts don't have their first period
until they're 18. I got interested in Gymnastics when I was six and started winning
straight away. Now everything I do is dedicated to it. I know I've missed out
on a lot of things, such as a lot of school. I never go out in the evening because
I'm simply too tired and I don't have a boyfreind- but then I have traveled all
over the world and had some fantastic experiences. Food doesn't worry me; I don't
to eat that much- just healthy stuff like chicken, salads and vegetable, no red
meat. I'm supposed to take multivitamin pills, but to be honest I usually forget.
I certainly don't worry about calories. The only thing I have to be careful about
is building up too much muscle, because that would slow me down. Looking young
for my age doesn't worry me, either. Recently I was thrown out of the cinema because
they said you had to be 15, and I didn't look a thing like it. It didn't upset
me- I thought it was rather funny.
From: You magazine, 14 April 1996, How six women created the perfect body.
Annika Reeder INTERVIEW 2
Competing in Atlanta is a dream come true. I started the sport when I was three
because my big sister did it. By the age of six I was taking part in competitions
and I'm lucky that I've stayed very small as it helps me to perform. There's speculation
that the intensive training we have to put in somehow stops your growth, but I
don't know if I believe it. My mum is only 5ft 1in so I think I was meant to be
tiny. I may grow a bit when I stop training so hard but I'm not bothered. I like
my size. I've never had a problem with training. If you enjoy doing something
you'll do it every day without thinking about it. It helps to have the Olympics
in sight because you can dream about medals and it gives you that extra push.
I eat what I like. No one tells me what to eat, but I like healthy food anyway.
My periods haven't started yet, which is quite normal for girls in this sport,
and I'm not worried in the slightest about it. I've never had a boyfriend and
I'm not interested in going out in the evening, I'm too busy.
From Daily Mirror, Thursday July 18 1996 (the day before the Olympics started)
