Moving Forward | An interview with Hollie Dykes

If you were a gymnastics fan during the 2005-2008 Olympic quad then you probably have heard of Hollie Dykes. With her beauty, grace and perfect technique, Dykes was instantly a fan favorite and lauded as the next star for Australian Gymnastics. She was a true talent- the kind of gymnast you could watch all day long. Hollie broke out onto the international senior elite scene in 2006 when she won gold on floor at the Commonwealth Games as well as the gold medal with the Australian team. In addition to her two golds, Hollie won a silver on beam and a bronze in the all-around. As a member of the Pacific Alliance team she helped the Australians to a second place finish behind the United States as well as finishing third all-around. Hollie's world class beam work earned her a 16.0 in the team competition- the first time a score that high was awarded on beam under the open ended scoring system. Later that year, Hollie competed at the World Championships where the Australian team placed seventh. Individually she placed seventh all-around and was one of very few athletes to make it through the competition without a fall. Unfortunately mistakes kept Hollie out of the beam finals where she easily would have been a medal threat. Notably her score from the all-around final would have been good enough to win her the gold had she made event finals! After such a dominate year in 2006, things slowed down for Hollie in 2007 as she faced injuries. Dykes was a member of the 2007 Australian World's team which would be her final competition. The gymnastics world was shocked when Hollie announced her retirement from the sport in January of 2008, just months before the Olympic Games in Beijing. Although her career ended so soon, Hollie will forever be remembered for her beautiful gymnastics and poise. 

We were fortunate enough to chat with Hollie about her gymnastics career and see what she is up to today! 

How did you get started in gymnastics?
I started gymnastics at the age of 4 1/2. My mum took me just for a bit of fun being that I was so young.

Who were some of your idols or inspirations growing up?
I didn't have one that young- I was really just having fun, but as I got older, around my teenage years, my inspiration was my dad. He was a motocross rider and competed at a high level so I always looked up to him. My idols growing up were Lleyton Hewitt, Lilia Podkopayeva, and Michael Klim.

At what age did you realize you had the potential to go far in gymnastics?
I got moved into the elite stream at around age 6. My coaches saw my talent and moved me up quite quickly. I realized around age 7 when I got talent scouted by Ju-Ping Tian at the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport) when my club, Gold Coast Gymnastics Club attended a competition there.

With the 2000 Olympics being held in Australia, you and a few other girls got to perform an exhibition routine in the Olympic arena. What was that like?
It was such an amazing experience. I still remember training so hard and practicing that routine in sync with the other girls to get it perfect. It was one of the best experiences and so inspiring to be able to meet gymnasts competing in the 2000 Olympics. I remember how excited we were to get their autographs on our t-shirts, we were in awe! Also, whenever I hear Vanessa Amorosi's song "Shine" it brings it all back to me as this was the opening song to the ceremony. It is the best feeling.



You were always known for your grace and beautiful lines, did you ever have any dance training? 
No, I didn't have any formal training. Most of my gymnastics training was from the Chinese and I found they spent more time with us doing basics and quality control, Ju-Ping Tian was a major part of my quality basics and clean lines. We did do ballet everyday from around 8 years old which definitely gave us a strong foundation.

What would you consider the highlight of your gymnastics career? 
The highlight of my career is hard to pinpoint to one thing. The 2006 Pacific Alliance in Hawaii was such a highlight. I was at my peak and I medaled on the podium with Chellsie [Memmel] and Nastia [Liukin]. I had also scored the first 16.0 on beam ever in the new code which I will never forget. The 2006 Commonwealth Games was something I will never forget and gave me extra experience and confidence for my career. Lastly, the 2007 Worlds in Denmark, finishing 7th all-around was definitely a highlight. All of these experiences had their ups and downs, but they are what I remember the most and I'm most proud of.



What was your favorite part about gymnastics? 
My favorite part was pushing myself and working with my coaches to reach a goal, training hard then showing what you can do in a competition. The traveling part was awesome too, I never got sick of it!

What was your least favorite part about gymnastics? 
My least favorite part was probably being held back by injuries and not being able to push your body to where you wanted to be. Also, the sacrifice you have to make in order to be successful, nothing else matters in gymnastics. It was quite challenging through the teenage years with body changes, injuries, hormones, etc.

Your retirement came as as surprise to many. Can you talk about what went into making that decision? 
Yes it did come as a shock to many. I think it had been leading up to that point. I had been injured for quite some time and the coaching structure had changed dramatically. I was not happy and I was taking my attitude to the gym with me. I also struggled communicating my feelings which made it that much harder. Everything had built up and I had had enough. I was also starting to focus less and was bringing fear to my training which isn't safe. I lost my ambition and was put in a place where I did not want to continue. All in all, it was a build up of frustration from injuries, fitness levels, coaching staff and changes.

Was it hard to move on? 
It was one of the hardest times in my life and to be honest, I have only just found peace and "normality" in the last few years. I struggled adjusting to everyday life- not having a specific goal and training everyday to reach that goal. Finding a path in life, changes in my body, learning how to eat well and properly, and letting go of the only thing you know...it is such a difficult time for elite athletes. It took me a long time to accept myself and not regret retiring when I did. I kept saying I should have done this or I should have done that, but I realized that I retired for a reason, I was at the lowest point mentally and could not continue, so I did what I thought was best at the time. It is easy to say now that I should have done this or I should have done that, but I was a different person then and I hadn't matured enough to take control of the situation. If I hadn't of went through of all that, I wouldn't be who I am today and I love who I am today and what I have experienced. I am very blessed and grateful.

Do you stay involved with gymnastics at all today? 
Not anymore. I did coach for a while and absolutely loved every minute of it! I did however need to move on and was struggling to do that properly in the gym. I still watch videos here and there and love seeing what everyone is up to. Maybe one day I will return to coaching!

What are your thoughts on the current state of Australian gymnastics? 
To be honest, I don't actually follow it enough to comment. However, I think Australian Gymnastics has the potential to rise further and further with the up and coming development programs. It's also amazing to see the veterans continuing with their passion. It has definitely changed a lot since I was training in terms of age and the benefit of being that little bit older. I think maturity is a huge part of succeeding in the sport, which is why I think we have seen more success from the more experienced girls. Also, being that little bit older helps as you know exactly what you want. You push your body because you want it! I must say I love following Larrissa [Miller], she is an inspiration to so many. I hope Australian Gymnastics can continue to rise.

What is the best piece of advice you've been given? 
The best piece of advice I was given would have to of been: compete the way you train and take one step at a time. Enjoy everything you do and once that stops then it's time to find a new passion.

Looking back now, what advice would you have given your younger self? 
The advice I would have given to my younger self would be live in the moment, not the past, not the present, but now. Don't worry what people think about you, just do what makes you happy, you will still be loved and accepted. We all make mistakes and that's what makes you stronger! Life is about challenges and learning about yourself, not pleasing people all the time. Lastly, rather than aiming to be perfect, aim to be better than yesterday!

What have you been up to lately? 
I am very happy and grateful for the life I have and I'm so lucky to have such amazing people in my life. I wouldn't be in the place I am now if it wasn't for my fabulous fiance, we recently got engaged and had a beautiful son last year who we are absolutely in love with. My fiance is with [Australian Government Department of Defence] so we are currently posted interstate and moving again in June. I am not currently working, however, I am looking to go back in July. I have not decided what my next career move will be, whether or not I will go back into Real Estate or pursue a new career, I will wait to see what happens and follow my passion. I am enjoying my time at home with my son and making the most of it while I can!