CB Magazine 01/2012

48

Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports

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CB Magazine 01/2012

49

Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports

W ith chiselled good looksand hugely impressivebiceps, Louis Smith is in

danger of becoming an athleticpin-up.The 22-year-old gymnast, whotrains at the Olympic gym inHuntingdon, has just been namedCambridgeshire’s SportsPerformer of the Year 2011 andrecently took bronze for thepommel horse at the WorldChampionships in Tokyo. He’s ona roll and if his record is anythingto go by, is destined for evenmore sporting greatness.The Peterborough-born athletegot involved in gymnastics whenhe was just 4-years-old (“Mybrother did it so I copied him,”)and hasn’t looked back since. “My

mum used to take me to all sortsof sports, mainly because I wassuch a hyperactive kid,” heexplains, with football, basketballand tennis sessions all on his out-of-school club agenda. Gymnasticsjust stuck though: “I loved howvaried it was. I needed somethingthat was going to captivate me andstop me getting bored, so I knewit was for me,” he says.There is one competition Louis –along with every other Britishathlete in the country – is alreadygearing up for though: London2012.The medal-winning athlete isworking hard in the gym toperfect his routines in time for thisyear’s games. “Training’s goingreally well and I definitely feel like

GoingAt just 22-years-old, gymnast Louis Smith is becoming a bit of aphenomenon. Ella Walker caught up with him to talk staying in shape,London 2012 and what it feels like to be doing what you love

for gold

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Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports Sports SportsI’m heading towards my physicalpeak,” he says. “But it is just aboutmanaging our intense trainingschedule and of course, managinginjuries.”Louis isn’t new to Olympicpressure though. After competingin Beijing in 2008 he bagged acareer highlight and walked awaywith a gold medal, also for hisfeats on the pommel horse. It wasimpressive in itself but at that timehe was still under the radar as areal talent: “I went into the Gamesconfident of my ability, butbecause I was still only 19, I wasn’tyet being talked about as a GBmedal hope. Therefore, to achievea place on the podium, andbecoming the first individualBritish gymnast to do so in 100years at the same time, was justunbelievable.”Competing at this level (he’s alsowon gold and silver at theCommonwealth Games) requiresa lot of work and effort, but Louisseems to take it all in hisconsiderable stride.“I love my sport, so to be able todo a job I love, and not to have tosit behind a desk, is something Inever take for granted,” he says,which explains why his gruellingtraining regime is a breeze too.“I train six days a week, whichincludes four full days and two halfdays. It equates to about 32 hoursa week,” he says. “It’s an intenseschedule, but you don’t getanywhere in life without hardwork.”So no junk food and no partyingthen? “I try to eat sensibly buthave to admit to enjoying the

occasional fast food splurge . . .everything in moderation!“Breakfast is normally cereal andtoast, lunch will be a light meal ofsandwiches or chicken salad, andI’ll normally take pizza or pasta fordinner.” As an ambassador forLucozade you’ll also struggle tofind him without a bottle or twoof it stashed in his kit bag(“[They’re] an essential part of myrehydration programme!”).When it comes to motivation, as ifthe podium at London isn’tenough, Louis has a strong supportnetwork that drives him on too.“Before it was just my self-determination and it absolutely stillis, but now it’s also the fact that Ihave so many people around mewho have put so much intohelping me get to where I amtoday and given me theopportunities I have.“My mum, my coach, my sponsors. . . everyone. That help inspiresme to do the best I can,not just for me but forthem as well.”He’s also keen toinspire others toachieve their potential:“Have fun. Work hardto achieve the goals youset for yourself, beprepared to make sacrifices andmost importantly, make sureyou’re doing something which youenjoy,” he enthuses. “Those arethe rules which I’ve led my life byand they’re what have got me towhere I am today, so I’drecommend to anyone, whatevertheir age and whatever dreamthey have, to do the same.”

For more information about Louis andhis career so far, visit www.louis-smith-official.com or follow him on Twitter@louissmith1989http://twitter.com/#!/louissmith1989.

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