Emma Smith (athlete)
Encyclopedia
Emma Smith is a British trampoline gymnast. She is noted for holding the world record for difficulty of routine performed in competition by a women. The difficulty was 16.00DD and was achieved on October 8th 2011 in Odense
, Denmark
. She is also the only woman to have competed 3 triple somersaults in a routine.
with the City of Liverpool Gymnastics Club and became British Espoir Champion in 2003. She left this discipline due to injuries, and made the switch to Trampoline Gymnastics in 2004. From that point, she has excelled at an exceptional rate and has made a name for herself within the sport world wide. Beginning trampolining at Aerodynamics, Emma returned to the City of Liverpool Gymnastics Club (Trampoline Squad) and settled with coach Jay Scouler. In 2007 Smith took the Junior Girls Trampoline Gymnastics British title.
As a junior in the sport, Smith achieved a place on the British team and competed internationally for the first time in 2007 at the World Age Championships, held in Canada
. Here, she unfortunately picked up a severe knee injury, which put her in a cast and on crutches for 3 months. Following four weeks of intense physiotherapy, and only 6 months of being back on a trampoline, she became Junior European Champion in April of 2008, in Odense, Denmark
. Later that year Smith underwent surgery on her injured knee.
2009 saw Emma Smith compete in her second World Age Championships, held in St Petersburg, Russia
. Here she took the silver medal in the 17-18 Girls catagory. This was her last event as a junior as she made her transition to a senior in 2010.
As a senior in the sport, Smith continued to represent her country. Her first international competition at this level came in the form of the Trampolining World Cup event held in Belgium
during March 2010, at which she easily qualified for the final. Later that year she went on to take the Senior Trampoline Gymnastics British Ladies Title and her first international senior individual medal; a bronze at the Albacete World Cup in August 2010.
In October 2011, Emma Smith set a new world difficulty record on Trampoline for women. She competed a routine of difficulty 16.00DD at the Trampoline and Tumbling World Cup, held in Odense, Denmark
. This routine begins with three triple somersaults. Smith is currently the only female gymnast in this discipline to have achieved this in competition.
In 2011 Emma qualified to represent Great Britain in the World Championships
, held in Birmingham
during November 2011. This event was the first qualifying round for the 2012 Olympics. Smith, along with team mates Kat Driscoll, Bryony Page and Laura Gallagher, were awarded the silver medal in the team final, coming second only to the Chinese.
Odense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. She is also the only woman to have competed 3 triple somersaults in a routine.
Career
Originally, Smith began her sports career in Artistic GymnasticsArtistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
with the City of Liverpool Gymnastics Club and became British Espoir Champion in 2003. She left this discipline due to injuries, and made the switch to Trampoline Gymnastics in 2004. From that point, she has excelled at an exceptional rate and has made a name for herself within the sport world wide. Beginning trampolining at Aerodynamics, Emma returned to the City of Liverpool Gymnastics Club (Trampoline Squad) and settled with coach Jay Scouler. In 2007 Smith took the Junior Girls Trampoline Gymnastics British title.
As a junior in the sport, Smith achieved a place on the British team and competed internationally for the first time in 2007 at the World Age Championships, held in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Here, she unfortunately picked up a severe knee injury, which put her in a cast and on crutches for 3 months. Following four weeks of intense physiotherapy, and only 6 months of being back on a trampoline, she became Junior European Champion in April of 2008, in Odense, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Later that year Smith underwent surgery on her injured knee.
2009 saw Emma Smith compete in her second World Age Championships, held in St Petersburg, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Here she took the silver medal in the 17-18 Girls catagory. This was her last event as a junior as she made her transition to a senior in 2010.
As a senior in the sport, Smith continued to represent her country. Her first international competition at this level came in the form of the Trampolining World Cup event held in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
during March 2010, at which she easily qualified for the final. Later that year she went on to take the Senior Trampoline Gymnastics British Ladies Title and her first international senior individual medal; a bronze at the Albacete World Cup in August 2010.
In October 2011, Emma Smith set a new world difficulty record on Trampoline for women. She competed a routine of difficulty 16.00DD at the Trampoline and Tumbling World Cup, held in Odense, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. This routine begins with three triple somersaults. Smith is currently the only female gymnast in this discipline to have achieved this in competition.
In 2011 Emma qualified to represent Great Britain in the World Championships
2011 Trampoline World Championships
The 28th Trampoline and Tumbling World Championships were held in Birmingham, England, from November 17–20, 2011 at the National Indoor Arena. This event was the first qualifying round for the 2012 Olympics which was held in London. The top 8 men and women automatically earned their nation quota...
, held in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
during November 2011. This event was the first qualifying round for the 2012 Olympics. Smith, along with team mates Kat Driscoll, Bryony Page and Laura Gallagher, were awarded the silver medal in the team final, coming second only to the Chinese.