Skye Blakely: “I really like being successful”
Now, she heads to the World Championships as she continues to write the story of her career.
In Jakarta, she’ll be a contender to make the finals on the uneven bars and could fight for a medal on the balance beam.
An individual medal would be the icing on top of a year that has helped expand Blakely’s approach to the sport.
“This last year of just training those two events… it has helped me pace myself better in the gym with how I work,” she said. “It doesn’t need to be aggressive every single day. It’s really just trusting my gymnastics more and doing what’s best for me.”
The decision to limit herself to bars and beam this year wasn’t easy. Blakely admits the temptation to go all-around was strong.
“Part of me is like, I want to do all-around, but it’s all about the pacing. It’s more important to stay healthy now. Let my foot get fully back. There’s no point in pushing big skills on it yet.”
And she’s playing the long game. Even if Paris wasn’t meant to be, she believes LA28 very much is.
“I’ve paced myself not just for this year, but for going back into the Olympic year again in four years,” she said. “I think bars and beam is the best plan [for 2025]… and everybody was just on the same page.”
Despite the obstacles put in her way, Blakely’s fire burns as bright as ever – fuelled by a simple determination.
“I really like being successful,” she said. “I like to be able to go out there and hit and show it off. I like that feeling to go up there and be like, yeah, you did it good. And you really showed what you’ve been practising. I just… I wake up and I’m like, you’ve got to get it done. Be you, be Skye. Find that fire in you.”
And this week in Jakarta, she’ll get the chance to show it once again.