Interview with Mojca Rode

“ After the World Championship ” Mojca Rode is the Slovenian National Champion since 2002 (with the exception of year 2005 when she stopped for an injury). She reached the 18th place in the last European Championship hold in Baku, last year she was 14th place in the European Championship hold in Moscow, but she placed only 45th in the World Championship in Patras in September, where she aimed to qualify for the Olympic Games in Beijing. Patras, 20th September 2007

Who she is Name: Mojca Rode Date of birth: 05/06/1983 Country: Slovenia Student at University » Photo gallery

- How did you started Rhythmic Gymnastic?

I was five years old, and the coach in my town came to the children´s garden pick some flexible girls, so they picked me and I liked the ribbons watching the television and so I went to the trainings.

- Which is the best result of your career and which is the most disappointing one?

I am very proud of the fourteen place in the European Championship 2006; I am also proud because I was in group in 1999 and we qualified for the 10 clubs´ final at the European championship; I was twice in the all-around final in a World championship, and I have been many times national champion. The most disappointing event is this World Championship.

- How was this Championship?

I was very well prepared, I made a very good competition in Ljubljana, and I had good trainings this year. Everything was ok until the step I came on the floor and started competing. I wanted to do too much, I wanted so much to qualify for the Olympic Games. I wanted too much from myself, maybe because one week before I came here my boyfriend qualified for Beijing. He was first at the parallel bars and we wanted to go together. It was hard for him to qualify too, we didn´t know if he would make it and after he made it I said... "I want to do it too". I wanted so much I was nervous when I started.

- Who is your boyfriend?

Mitja Petkovsek. He is twice world champion on parallel bars and one time silver WC; three times European champion on parallel bars, twice silver EC, one time bronze EC. We are together for 7 years.

- Do you think you made a bit too many mistakes, are do you think it is a bit the fault of the judges?

I made too many mistakes.

- Who is your favourite gymnast?

Now I like Bessonova very much, my inspiration is Simona Peycheva. I also like Alexandra Orlando, I like her style.

- Which is your favourite routine?

Hoop, when I make it without mistakes.

- Did you meet many friends competing and travelling all aver the world?

Yes, I have a lot a lot of friends, many already retired as Mary Sanders, Hannah Mckibbin, Rebecca Jose, Eliza Gower from Australia, all the Bulgarians from Teodora Alexandrova, Viktoria Danova, Peycheva, Paiseiva, Sultanova, the canadians as Orlando, and Almudena is also my big friend... Many!

- Do you like travelling to compete and visiting countries?

It is so funny because everybody says: "Oh, you are going to Greece, you are going to Thailand!", but all you can see is only the gym most of the time, it is hard to see something of the countries, but I like to go to the competitions when I don´t make a lot of mistakes.

- Are you studying?

I finished University this year, I have studied Educational university in order to became a teacher in Primary School, to teach children from 6 years to 11 years old. I have a final exam but I finished with lessons.

- Can you describe a typical day of trainings?

When I did university, I woke up at 7 o'clock, had breakfast, I went to university from 8 or 9 am to 2 pm. Then I went to train from 2:30 to 6:30 pm, then I had dinner, did something for university and then I went to bed. Now I don´t have university any more and my day will be different!

- How is the relationship with your coach (Marieta Stoimenova)?

My coach is a very strong person, she convinced me so many times when I wanted to quit, telling "You are good, you are something special". I think we are very good together; sometimes we have arguments but everybody does.

- Who chooses the music and the choreography of the routines?

Mostly I do, she just corrects something.

- Do you have any talismans?

I have a lot of little toys, but the special one is from the Olympic Games in Sydney, carried by my boyfriend. At home I have a lot of little bears and everything that little girls gave me for good luck.

- Will you do any vacation after Patras?

Yes, I am thinking of Greece! Before Lili of Ritmica Romana invited me to go to Rome for vacations, so I am thinking.

- What are your projects for the future?

This is the biggest problem in the last three days! I have to figure out what to do now, I don´t know definitively. I have to continue for the European Championship in Torin 2008, because since june I have a special job for professional sport, gave by the Slovenian ministry; I have a contract for one year, so I have to continue for one year, and I also qualified for the European Championship. But after that I don´t know.

- What will you do after retiring?

I will be teacher in school.

- You won't do anything related to RG?

Not professionally, I am sure, but maybe I will coach the first year school classes.