Sky Academy Scholar Sam Oldham on what superhero skills would help his gymnastics
Friday 24 March 2017 13:04, UK
What superhero skills would you want? Pausing time and having wings seems like a perfect set of skills to boost most people's career. What if you were one of the country's top gymnasts?
Sam Oldham is one of 12 Sky Academy Sports Scholars and a special Sky Academy documentary was shown on Wednesday telling the story of his comeback from a career-threatening injury and ongoing battle to qualify for next year's Rio Olympics.
WATCH: I am Sam Oldham. Available now On Demand and via Sky Go (see teaser video above) This documentary was broadcast on Sky Sports 1 on Wednesday July 15
The programme is called 'I am Sam Oldham' and we thought we'd ask him for his choice of superpowers. Here's Sam's response........
I've been working hard in the gym on my big new release and catch skill on the High Bar. So far so good. Next week I'll work on the skills from my new routines as I start building up towards training the full routines. The World Championships are getting closer.
With my new documentary video coming out, along with the release of the movie Ant Man, I've been thinking about what super hero powers I would want.
Gymnastics is my thing so what would be better as an athlete than to have super strength or the ability to fly or even being able to manipulate time & space!
I’m the type of person that takes questions on my favourite film or favourite food rather seriously so this idea really had me hooked. (For the record - I love Batman the Dark Night...and Chinese).
Super strength is awesome but that's not going to help you catch a Steel Bar or swing smoothly around a Pommel Horse. Then there is stopping time. That's all well and good, but if you fall off you can just pause time rewind it and keep on trying again...and again... But you could be there a life time trying to get it right and patience isn’t my strongest of suits!
Finally, I’ve come to the conclusion that having the ability to fly and making myself weightless is the way to go! It would mean I could do the iron cross with ease (this is a manoeuvre in gymnastics where you hang on the rings with your arms horizontal).
I would just have to float in the air and hold on to the rings! Maybe I would have to pull a few faces to make it look like I was trying my best and also so know one discovers my secret - I reckon I could manage that.
That's the strength part sorted and when it comes to catching the bar that's easy! If I’m a little far away I could just fly back to grab it. I was pondering this mammoth of questions while I was trying and failing at being strong on the rings during training. Then it hit me…….
What if Kohei Uchimura (five-time Olympic medallist, five-time world All Around champion and arguably the greatest gymnast that has ever lived ) could fly? Kohei is a god and in my opinion the greatest athlete on the planet.
One day I hope they take the best athletes in the world from every sport and have them compete in a massive free for all doing each others sports. Chances are the gymnast will be able to do all the other sports to a relatively good standard but I think the others would struggle just getting onto the rings!
To conclude, flight would be my super power. Which leaves me with one thing to decide on….. a name! Any ideas? I will keep you updated on my progress as I build up towards the World Championships trials in September.
WATCH: I am Sam Oldham. Available now On Demand and via Sky Go (see teaser video above) This documentary was broadcast on Sky Sports 1 on Wednesday July 15
Sam Oldham is one of 12 athletes being supported through the Sky Academy Sports Scholarships scheme.
The Scholarships offer a programme of support tailored to each athletes specific requirements covering areas such as funding, media coaching, mentoring and wider developmental support.
Read here for full details of the scheme
