Quick Chat- Sloan & Steady

Sloan & Steady

By Evan Heiter

“'Hopefully’ is so much better than ‘no’.” These were the remarks of a 16-year-old Bridget Sloan, talking about how she responded when people asked if she was going to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She ended up being selected for the squad that took silver, and setting herself up to become World All Around Champ in 2009. Injuries have plagued the charismatic Midwesterner for much of the last two years. However, with renewed Olympic spirit and a focus on the all around, Bridget Sloan is moving confidently in the direction of her (second) Olympic dream.

Inside’s Evan Heiter took a moment to chat with Bridget before she took to the podium for yesterday’s afternoon training session.

Inside: What is the biggest difference between doing Olympic level gymnastics as an almost 20-year-old opposed to a 15-year-old?

 Bridget: Waking up in the morning and, ‘Ohhhh!’ pop your back, pop your hips, pop your knees… When I was 15, I would just jump out of bed and be like, “Let’s start the day!” And now I kind of roll out, get my cup of coffee… then it starts. When I was 15, I was so young. Thinking back, like in 2007, I was a baby. I had no experience under my belt, and now I have the experience and those competitions. I’ve competed in the big leagues, and it’s kind of unreal. It’s been bittersweet too. You look at how many injuries I’ve had to go through but at the same time, how many medals I’ve won. It’s been a dream come true.

Inside: Is your outlook on making the Olympics still the same as that girl who said, “Hopefully is so much better than no.” four years ago?

 Bridget: Absolutely, 100%, because I know there are thousands of people out there that would love to be at this competition and competing, so being able to be an Olympic hopeful… I mean, wouldn’t you rather be an Olympic hopeful than a nobody in the gymnastics world? You have to look at the good things, even when they don’t feel so great. There’s always something good that can come out of it.

Inside: Talk about your decision to remain an amateur in the sport, and maintain your college eligibility, despite being an Olympic medalist and World Champ.

 Bridget: I’ve been told that I am the first World Champion and Olympian to go to college because everyone else didn’t do it. I cannot wait to compete for Florida and get that experience. Everybody that I talk to that has done a college sport has been like, “Your eyes will be wide open. You will have no idea what the feeling is like.” And I cannot wait to be a Gator and represent that blue and orange– even though orange is not really one of my favorite colors… thankfully they have blue.

Inside: Coming to a meet like Visa Championships that you’ve been attending for years, do you ever look at the Junior girls and reminisce thinking, “That was me!”?

[The junior women were finishing their podium training around us as the interview was taking place.]

 Bridget:  It’s absolutely insane to look at them and be like, “I totally know how you’re feeling right now.” And they look at me like, “No you don’t.” And [then] they think…and they’re like, “Yeah…you do!” It’s been an awesome joy ride. I’ve been so blessed and so thankful that I’ve been able to keep [doing gymnastics]… I’ve been one of the healthier athletes that’s been at the junior– I started when I was 13 and I’m now 19– and I’ve really had two surgeries, yes, but they were very minor surgeries. I’ve really never had to deal with anything, besides bone bruises– I’m very known for those– so I’ve been really happy to come back here and compete all four events and know this might be my last hoorah, but I’m going to give it my all.

 With Sloan’s personal goals clarified as, “not looking at winning anything”, it’s clear that she knows what to expect of herself in the meets leading up to the Olympics. “Being clean and consistent”, she notes, are her driving factors in helping Team USA. Bridget Sloan is one of three Olympians competing in St. Louis who felt the success of a medal, but the subtle sting of its silvery shine in Beijing. Her steadiness and outlook promise to guide her far. Perhaps all the way to London. 

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