Olivia Moran has won national titles in two different sports over the same weekend.

She delivered an impressive performance at the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics National Championships on October 3, claiming gold on floor, silver on bars and silver on beam before taking gold overall to become the national all-around champion. Olivia also competed at the Equestrian Vaulting National Championships, claiming national titles in the Pas de Deux and Individual Primary School categories. “I was extremely happy, excited and proud. It was such an amazing feeling because I had been working towards these goals for the whole year,” she said.

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Behind the medals were countless hours of training, determination and moments when things did not go according to plan. Olivia, who has been doing gymnastics for five years, said she was particularly proud of her floor routine because she was able to enjoy the performance and express her personality through the music. “It was physically and mentally challenging, but I tried to stay focused, enjoy each performance, and take one event at a time,” she said.

She said gymnastics has played an important role in her development as an equestrian vaulter. She began vaulting three years ago and has been competing in Pas de Deux for about a year. While the sports are different, she said the skills overlap through their demands for strength, flexibility, balance, co-ordination, and concentration. “Gymnastics has helped me with my strength, flexibility, balance and body awareness, which are all really important in vaulting,” she said.

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Olivia credits her gymnastics success to the support she receives from Junxion Gymnastics, describing her coaches and teammates as an important part of her journey. Her coaches, she said, have helped her learn and perfect her skills while teaching her lessons about commitment, discipline, perseverance, and believing in herself.

At nationals, that support was particularly important, with teammates cheering one another on before routines and celebrating one another’s achievements. “Even though we were competing individually, it really felt like we were a team,” Olivia said.

Winning nationals had been one of Olivia’s goals, and seeing the hard work come together was a moment of pride. “It showed me that hard work, determination, consistency, and believing in yourself really can turn a goal into reality,” she said.

Her inspiration includes Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles, whose difficult skills and determination have encouraged Olivia to continue challenging herself.

Looking ahead, Olivia hopes to keep improving and learning new skills, but she also wants other young athletes to know that being nervous should not stop them from trying. “Gymnastics has taught me so much about perseverance, discipline, and believing in myself. You won’t get everything right the first time, and that’s okay. You just keep practicing and trying again.”

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