Sunday Spotlight: Ana Sofia Gomez Porras (GUA)

Ana Sofia Gomez Porras, born in 1995 is Guatemalan gymnast who first appeared on the international scene at the 2010 Olympic Youth Games in Singapore. At this competition, she impressed gymnastics fans from around the world with her repertoire of skills including a back sommersalt with a full twist on beam. She placed first on beam and second in the all-around at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara. It is always exciting when gymnasts from non-gymnastics countries do well on the international scene! She is a delightful gymnast to watch and shows a real flair on beam and floor. She qualified to the Olympic Games and made the all-around final, a fantastic achievement for Ana Sofia and her coaches Adrian and Elena Boboc.

Ana Sofia mounts the beam at the 2012 London Olympics

Performing an acro skill in a beam routine at the Olympics

Her floor routine shows impressive tumbling, including a full-twisting double back as her opening pass. She also shows great amplitude in her leaps. The choreography is interesting and expressive. Here is her routine from the all-around competition at the 2011 Pan American Games where she placed second.

Ana Sofia on floor at the 2011 Pan American Games 

Ana wins the gold medal on beam at the 2011 Pan American Games 

The Youth Olympic Games are a fantastic opportunity for talented young athletes such as Ana Sofia as they gain valuable international experience at a young age. It is also a great opportunity for them to travel around the world and enjoy their sport!

'I competed against very talented rivals whom I will face regularily in the future. I also realised that I have the potential to compete at the international level'- Ana Sofia on the contribution of the Youth Olympic Games to her career (from www.olympic.org)

Congratulations to Ana for putting Guatemala on the gymnastics map, and best wishes for competitions in the future!

Full interview from the Official Olympic Website can be found here 

Article by Imogen Browne (@IFLIP4GymBlog)