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For most athletes, the dream of competing in the Olympics remains just that, a dream. But for two DU gymnasts, the dream has become a reality.
The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing: a dream and a goal that came to fruition Sept. 2-9 at the 40th World Gymnastic Championships in Stuttgart, Germany, for DU Junior Jessica Lopez and freshman Annamari Maaranen. Lopez, competing for her native Venezuela, and Maaranen, doing the same for Finland, will both hit the mats in the all-around competition of women’s gymnastics.
Among Olympic sports, gymnastics is among those that historically have favored younger competitors, whose bodies are able to withstand the endless hours of practice and competition. Thus, the stakes are high from the start of a gymanst’s career as a young child, and the opportunity to progress to the world stage can be fleeting. Lopez and Maaranen made the most of their first shot at the Olympics, but it was still uncertain that they would make the trip to Beijing until they each received a call from their country’s Olympic federation congratulating them on their qualifying for the 2008 Olympics.
“I just couldn’t believe it, I was shocked,” said Lopez when she received the call.
“I didn’t believe it, and I started getting all these messages,” added Maaranen.
In addition to attending DU and competing in the all-around, Lopez and Maaranen have something else in common: they are the only women from their country to qualify for gymnastics. In Maaranen’s case, she is the first female Finnish gymnast to qualify for the Olympics in 44 years.
At the World Championships there were 24 teams, 12 of which qualified a full squad of six gymnasts to the Olympics. Then the teams that finished 13th to 15th earn two spots and the teams that placed 16th to 18th earn one spot at the Olympics for their country. After all the teams were selected, the top 15 all-around gymnasts on non-qualifying teams earned a spot as an individual, which is how Lopez and Maaranen qualified.
The Lopez side of the story: After becoming the first Pioneer to become a three-time All-American last spring, Lopez just wanted to continue her good fortunes at the Pan American games in Brazil and represent her country.
“This summer I went to the Pan American games and I knew if I did well I was going to have the opportunity to go to the World Championships, but I knew it was going to be very difficult.”
She ended up 20th in the all-around competition and ninth overall on bars, and was one of three Venezuelan gymnasts to qualify for the World Championships.
After the Pan American games and before the World Championships, Lopez returned to Denver, where she met new assistant coach Nilson Savage. Savage is an intense coach who happens to speak Lopez’s native language, Spanish.
“I met him a month ago and I started working with him,” Lopez said. “He is very intense and made me work really hard.”
That hard work paid off, as her 12th-place finish at the World Championships was just one below Maaranen and good enough to get the Olympics call…
“Right now I am very happy and proud to have accomplished that dream, but at the same time I now have the commitment to prepare for the Olympics and for the upcoming DU season.”
It will be a season in which Lopez will look to build upon her strong foundation of three All-American titles and help the Pioneers make the NCAA Championships for the second straight year.
Although simply making the Olympic team may suffice for some, Lopez is hardly resting on our impressive accomplishments. “First I am really proud to have the opportunity, it means a lot to me and now I am ready to work harder to prepare myself for the Olympics.”
Maaranen side of the story: Freshman Maaranen epitomizes the saying, “Opportunity knocks, but you have to answer the door.” She didn’t even know she was coming to DU until the beginning of August, and in the case of the World Championships she was listed only as a reserve for the Finland team in the unlikely event that one of the scheduled athletes became injured or sick. Sure enough, one of the starters got a knee injury and Maaranen was called to fill her spot at the World Championships.
“I got the chance to show everybody that it was a mistake that they didn’t pick me to the team,” Recalled Maaranen.
She quickly realized that it was going to be no easy work trying to qualify for the Olympics.
“I first felt that if I am going to qualify for the Olympics I need to have a perfect competition, I cannot make any mistakes.”
After competing in her four events, Maaranen was sitting in the stadium watching the last athletes compete when she received a very important phone call.
“Before the last rotation, the head of the delegation called me and asked if I was aware of the situation,” recounted Maaranen. “I said ‘What situation?’ and he said ‘You are going to the Olympics!'”
An experience that she has not yet even begun to imagine. “I think it is going to be like Wow! I cannot imagine that, I think it is going to be the best moment of my life when I go there.”
The Conclusion: Both Lopez and Maaranen will most likely stay at DU and train together after the Pioneer season is completed. The 2008 summer Olympics are being held in Beijing next August 2-18.
have the commitment to prepare for the Olympics and for the upcoming DU season.”
It will be a season in which Lopez will look to build upon her strong foundation of three All-American titles and help the Pioneers make the NCAA Championships for the second straight year.
Although simply making the Olympic team may suffice for some, Lopez is hardly resting on our impressive accomplishments. “First I am really proud to have the opportunity, it means a lot to me and now I am ready to work harder to prepare myself for the Olympics.”
Maaranen side of the story: Freshman Maaranen epitomizes the saying, “Opportunity knocks, but you have to answer the door.” She didn’t even know she was coming to DU until the beginning of August, and in the case of the World Championships she was listed only as a reserve for the Finnish team in the unlikely event that one of the scheduled athletes became injured or sick. Sure enough, one of the starters got a knee injury and Maaranen was called to fill her spot at the World Championships.
“I got the chance to show everybody that it was a mistake that they didn’t pick me to the team,” Recalled Maaranen.
She quickly realized that it was going to be no easy work trying to qualify for the Olympics.
“I first felt that if I am going to qualify for the Olympics, I need to have a perfect competition, I cannot make any mistakes.”
After competing in her four events, Maaranen was sitting in the stadium watching the last athletes compete when she received a very important phone call.
“Before the last rotation, the head of the delegation called me and asked if I was aware of the situation,” recounted Maaranen. “I said ‘What situation?’ and he said ‘You are going to the Olympics!'”
An experience that she has not yet even begun to imagine. “I think it is going to be like Wow! I cannot imagine that, I think it is going to be the best moment of my life when I go there.”
The Conclusion: Both Lopez and Maaranen will most likely stay at DU and train together after the Pioneer season is completed. The 2008 summer Olympics are being held in Beijing next Aug. 2-18.
