Forget the nerves that flow through every athlete's veins before a major competition and forget the nerves from a first appearance in the Olympic Games. Instead, imagine being the first athlete to represent your country in the Olympic Games in your sport.
University of Denver senior gymnast Simona Castro (Santiago, Chile), who will become the first Chilean women's gymnast to compete at the Summer Olympics later this month, has embraced those nerves, and is focusing on enjoying this opportunity.
"I feel a little bit of pressure on myself, but I just want to be able to enjoy it, and have fun doing gymnastics," Castro said.
Fellow countryman Tomas Gonzalez also qualified for the Olympic Games at January's Olympic Test Event in London. The Chilean duo will be the first two gymnasts to represent their country at the Summer Games.
"I'm really honored to be the first one (gymnast) to represent my country," Castro said. "At the same time, it's a little bit nerve racking that I'm the first one."
Unlike former DU gymnast Jessica Lopez, Castro doesn't have a personal expectation or an expectation from her country, forcing her to set her own goals for this summer's Olympic Games.
"My focus is on my own expectations," Castro said. "It's the way that I want to be remembered, but at the same time that makes me a little bit nervous about how I'm going to perform. Obviously, you want to perform well the first time."
Castro is coming off a third-place finish on beam (12.800) and a 10th-place finish on bars (11.633) at the 2012 Pan American Championships in Medellin, Columbia.
A veteran of the Chilean national team since 2001, Castro finished 55th in the all-around at the Olympic Test Event last January to secure her spot in this summer's Games.
It was a busy time of year for Castro. Before the London Test Event, Castro and the Pioneers competed at No. 9 Georgia in DU's season opener. The following morning, Castro and DU assistant coach Carl Leland flew from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., to London for the Test Event. After the midweek competition that qualified her for the Olympics, Castro and Leland got back on a plane, flying from London to Chicago to Omaha, and then drove to Lincoln, Neb., for a team meal before the Pioneers' second meet of the season at No. 6 Nebraska. To top it all off, Castro competed in seven-of-eight events in the two meets for the Pioneers (pulled off floor at Nebraska). By the time Castro and the Pioneers landed back in Denver the next morning, Castro and Leland had covered 10,372 miles in just over a week.
"It has been a little bit crazy," Castro commented after arriving in Lincoln, Neb., in January. "Competing for the team at DU is as important as my goal of qualifying for the Olympics. For me it's really important to be present at both, and compete for both."
Castro is the third DU gymnast to qualify for the Olympics. Lopez will join Castro in London for this summer's Olympic Games. Lopez is making her second appearance on the sport's biggest stage. Former Pioneer Annamari Maaranen qualified for the Olympics in 2008, but did not compete due to injury.
"I think it's really exciting for the program that it is able to send its athletes to the Olympics, and I feel proud to be a part of that legacy," Castro said.
