| Name: | Kristy Darrah |
| E-mail: | kdarrah@ca.com.au |
| Contact address: | Western Australian Gymnastics Association |
| Birthday: | 1st February 1980 |
| Birthplace: | Perth, Western Australia |
| Residence: | as above |
| Height: | 165 cm |
| Weight: | 43 kg |
| Languages: | English |
| Started Rhythmic: | 1988 |
| Retired from Rhythmic: | December 1998 |
| Weekly training (hrs,days): | 6 days a week, 4-6 hour a day |
| Coach: | Lisa Bradley |
| Club: | Perth RG Academy / High Performance Center |
| Favourite apparatus: | clubs |
| Favourite gymnasts: | Larissa Lukyanenko, Elena Vitrichenko, Julia Raskina |
| Favourite Books: | Favourite writer is Bryce Courtenay |
| Favourite music: | like all music but jazz and country |
| favourite band: | Powderfinger |
| Other sports: | artistic gymnastics, diving, windsurfing |
|
How did you get started in RG?
I started Rhythmic at Gosnells PCYC in 1988. I was already involved in
quite a number of other programs run by the centre (including artistic
gymnastics). My best friend had just started rhythmic, and i decided to
give it a try. Lisa and Yvonne Bradley were coaching at the club at the
time. My first competition was as an under 9 competitor, and i entered
the elite stream the next year.
Were there any major setbacks during your RG career?
In 1996 i contracted Salmonella poisoning while training in the Ukraine.
This left me unable to train for approximately 3 months. I had lost a
considerable amount of weight, and it was extremely hard to rebuild my
strength and endurance.
What was it like to leave the sport? Do you have more spare time now that you are not competeing?
After the Commonwealth Games last year i was faced with the decision of
whether or not to retire. It took me 3 months to make the decision. It
is a very hard choice to make after doing something everyday for so
long. I had always known that i wanted to finish on a high note instead
of sinking down in the rankings and slowly dropping off the end.
Although i hadn't trained for three months i had still been in the gym
each week to help with coaching, and in the end i found this alot more
enjoyable. Therefore i am still heavily involved in the sport, now being
a level 1 coach and judge. I am currently coaching the new stage 1's at
the Western Australian High Performance Centre.
I really don't have any more spare time now than when i did when i was
training. I am currently studying at university, and between that,
coaching, judging and spending a little more time with friends, there
still doesn't seem to be time to breath.
I do miss doing gymnastics a little, and the girls often catch me
'playing' with the apparatus. The gym has always been my second home,
and i think it would have been very hard not to stay involved in some
way. Coaching was an option which kept me involved and allowed me to
give back to the sport all that i had learnt while training.
Pictures to come later!
