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| the interview..... with
Australia's most successful female artistic skater in the
sports history..
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Q:
Can you tell us about your transition from former artistic
quad world champion to now Inline world champion? (ie: how and
when and what any major obstacle there has been?
"In 2001 I got my first teaching job at a Primary School.
After having competed in 10 World Championships and having won
both the World Championships in 1995 and World Games in 1997 I
decided it was now time to focus on my career and future. The
thought to compete on Inlines didn't enter my mind until 2002
when Jayson Sutcliffe began competing on them and became the
first person to ever win Worlds on Inlines. I guess the first
obstacle was learning how to skate again after 2 years! Once I
got my Custom V1 frames and Edea boots in November 2002 it
took a number of months to gain the confidence to even try any
of the harder double jumps! The only other obstacle I had was
doing salchows as for the first few months I constantly rolled
my ankle on the takeoff and so I had to work on strengthening
my ankles to hold me up straight, especially on takeoffs and
landings!". |
Q:
On Roller, you were famous for being known as the most
technically perfect and innovative spinner. Now it seems you
have squashed every myth that it was impossible to spin on
inline with your amazing displays in Argentina - how do you
manage?
"I don't really know!!!! As a younger skater I never felt
that my spins were very strong so I put in a lot of hard work
over the years practicing them and now I love trying to come
up with new ideas for spins with my coach! To tell you the
honest truth when I first saw the Inline skates I never
thought spinning on them would be possible either! But it is
possible and this is only the start!!!!!!". |
Q:
Is it the advancements in equipment used for Inline that is
making the spinning possible? You skate on the Custom V1 Frame
and we have seen you make heel camels as long as 9
revolutions, which is outstanding.. Any tips?
"Definitely! I skate on the Custom V1 Frame and the
rocker system on them allows you to adjust the rocker to suit
each skater and makes it possible to spin on two (or one!)
wheels just like on roller! As for heel camel I always loved
doing them on roller and so after watching Silvia Marangoni
do
one on Inlines at the 2002 Worlds I was very motivated to try!
After many many MANY falls, I was very excited when I finally
did one for the first time, even though I only held it for 2
revolutions max! Since then it has just got easier and easier!
When spinning, I try to have enough speed going into it rather
than pushing for speed in the travel. I try to hold back a
little as I find that if you try and push too hard in the
travel it is so easy to roll your ankle and lose control! When
doing a heel, I try to really pull my toe up as far as
possible, lock my knee and then just stay as still as possible
and ride it out for as long as I can!". |
Q:
Did you think it was only going to be a matter of time before
Inline become as popular as it is today?
"I wasn't sure what was going to happen with the Inlines
at first. But I think that interest in them will only begin to
grow as more and more people start using them, especially
older skaters who have been successful on roller and who have
the experience and skills to experiment with what can be done
on them. It is possible to do the same on Inline as on roller,
if not more, but it will just take time. In Australia it is
increasing in popularity and I am very excited by the number
of younger skaters here who are getting them and competing on
them already. This is just the beginning of an exciting new
era.....". |
Q:
When you won the world championships in 1995, would you have ever
thought that eight years later you would win the world title
on inline? You are now the first female to have won both
titles as I am for the guys... How do you feel?
"NEVER! I never ever dreamed then that this would have
happened! I still can't believe it! It is a truly amazing
feeling... I only wish that at the time I was feeling well
enough to really enjoy it! What makes it even more great is
that after winning the World Championships with you in 1995
this is another special thing that we both share!". Yes
Tammy, in Argentina you were extremely sick on the day of
competition for your long and I was very doubtful you would
even compete. You could barely stand up in the marshalling
area, how you ever skated is beyond me.. What an effort.. |
Q:
Is it true that some five years ago, your father actually
tried to convince you to do inline because he thought it would
take over from Roller in the coming years and you declined the
gesture?
"Jayson I think it was more like 8 years ago now
actually! Whenever inline skates first made an appearance at the
world meets on display. Speed Inlines came out in 93 and I'm pretty sure it wasn't
long after that??? Maybe 95/96? I can't believe you brought
that up and I'm embarrassed now to admit that this is true!
Sorry dad - yes I should have listened to you!!! But at the
time my sister and I were so dead against the idea as we both
loved roller skating too much! I was also afraid that skating
on them would be too much like the ice and that much of what
can be done on the quads, especially in regards to spins,
would be lost if Inlines were to take over. However after
skating on them for the past year I now know this isn't the
case and to me they actually feel more like roller skating
than ice skating!". Fact: in 1993 an exhibition was
performed at the closing 'show gala' by Shayne Bayford, from
Canada. He did a few items but not much, however it was the
first official world appearance of the 'inline
skate'. |
Q:
When you jump on inline, your technique mirrors that of
roller, those familiar with your skating - will know, whereas
many other inliners tend to look slightly more ice-orientated.
Do you think that the technique on roller can be adapted
easily and preferred?
"I haven't had too much trouble adapting my style and
technique from roller to Inline and I prefer this because it
is what I know and feel comfortable with. Of course there have
been little things I have had to change, for example how I go
into a Salchow and Lutz and where to press to do spins, but
otherwise I have tried to use a similar technique to roller
where possible. Sometimes when watching videos I forget that I
am in fact on Inlines!". |
Q:
What do you see in the future for Inline? And what impact do
you see it having on the roller dominated circle of the sport?
"I can only see it growing. I don't think it will have
much impact on roller, but once more skaters start using and
improving on them and showing what can truly be done on them
then it will begin to be taken more seriously. However for
that to happen I believe Inline also needs to be given the
same treatment as roller on the International scene. For
example, scheduling into the Worlds program a few training
sessions for Inline on the actual competition floor prior to
the start of competition for Worlds. For the past two years at
Worlds, prior to their event, Inline skaters have been given 1
training session only on the competition floor on the morning
they skate the short program! At least in 2003 the short and
long programs were scheduled on different days and we didn't
have to do both programs as well as training for both events
in the one day!". Good point Tammy - all will agree.
Perhaps the organizers of the 2004
World meet will
take note as they have us competing both the short and long
program plus two training sessions ALL IN ONE DAY! |
Q:
With the increase in popularity of inline, more so as the
sister sport to ice than roller can ever be, do you believe
that Inline will be adopted to the Summer Olympics in the
disciplines of Speed, IL Hockey and Figure skating?
"My fingers are crossed!!!! But unfortunately I don't
think it will happen anytime soon. Maybe in the future but for
that to happen we need more people like yourself to promote
the sport and make the general public aware of what we, and
anyone else reading this, already know! That skating, whether
it be on Roller or Inline, is as great and exciting as any
other sport that you currently see on TV.". |
| That's
not all guys... Scroll down for more with 'a day in the life
of Tammy Bryant'... |
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| Member:
Skate Australia - South
Australia Roller Sports |
| coach:
Charmaine |
club:
Skate
FX |
| occupation:
school
teacher (Italian) |
residence:
Adelaide |
| sport:
inline
figure skating (previous quad) |
equipment:
Custom
V1 Inlines | EDEA
boots (Angel) |
| interests:
my
dogs, movies, going out with my friends |
| Achievements
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Highlights: |
W
O R L D CHAMPIONSHIPS:
2003:
1st Inline Ladies FS
1999:
2nd Senior Ladies FS
1997: 4th Senior Ladies FS
1996: 2nd Senior Ladies FS
1995: 1st Senior Ladies FS
1994: 8th Senior Ladies FS
1993: 4th Senior Ladies FS
1992: 10th Senior Ladies FS
1991: 5th Senior Ladies FS
1990: 8th Senior Ladies FS
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W
O R L D G A M E S :
1997:
1st Senior Ladies FS
German Cup:
1995:
1st Senior Ladies FS
Australian
National
Championships:
2003:
1st Inline Ladies FS
2000:
1st Senior Ladies FS
Tammy has won many National championships to date, many to
list since 1985. |
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| The
Interview... cont: |
Q:
You appear very natural on inline, many have said even more so
than you were on roller and that you look fantastic. Can I
honestly ask you which you prefer? Or, would it be a case of -
which is or was more challenging?
"I love skating in any form! However I have really
enjoyed the challenge of skating on the Inlines for the past
year and feel very awkward putting my quads back on now! So
now I would have to say that I prefer the freedom and feel of
my Inlines!". |
Q:
When you land your jumps on inline do you like to roll out on
the base of the skate or land more so like ice and hit from
the toe first on impact?
"No I definitely aim to roll out on the base of the skate
when landing any jump! When I first learnt single axel on
Roller I always landed on my toestop so my mum took my toestop
out whenever I was practicing it for 3 months and after many
hard falls, I have never landed on my toestop since, including
on Inline! Plus, I like to have my toestops screwed all the
way in which makes it difficult to hit them (and less likely
to trip over them which I used to do all the time when I was
first learning to skate!!!)". |
Q:
What does the future hold for our newest World Champion? Can
we expect to see you again on the International scene in 2004
in the USA? Or will you be holding out until 2005 when we head
to Italia? (being you are an Italian school teacher!)
"I am definitely very interested in heading to Italia in
2005 as long as you will join me! Ha ha ha! I loved it there
in 1994 and have always wanted to go back! As for next year
however I am playing it one day at a time! At the moment I am
really enjoying being back on the skates and in training! I
aim to compete within Australia, and who knows, if I am
skating well enough and I can organize the time off work, then
maybe you will see me in the USA!!!". (Me in 2005??
Tammy - you must be kidding, come on!!) |
Q:
Its not often that you find a married couple who are both
World champions, both now Inline (speed & art). Is that a
passion you both share and something that brought you
together?
"Skating was such a huge part in both our lives and it is
what brought us together. I first met Chris in 1994 when he
won his first Inline Speed World Championship. He won his
second World Championship in 1995 just before I left to go to
Bucaramanga for the Artistic World Championships. And I must
admit that him winning in 1995 definitely gave me the extra
confidence and belief that it was possible for a skater from
Australia to win a World Championship that I needed to help me
also win that same year! As for winning this year, with Chris
having skated and competed at that level himself on Inlines,
he was able to understand, support and push me when required
to help me achieve what I have this year, so for that I thank
you Chris from the bottom of my heart!". Tammy's
husband - former World Champion is Australian speed legend,
Chris Luxton. |
Q:
How important is the internet to our sport and what would you
like to see online?
"At the moment the internet is vital to our sport as it
is our main method of communication and promotion to both
people involved in the sport and also the general public.
Therefore I would like to see other skating websites up dating
their sites more regularly, so that people involved in skating
are better informed about things that are going on in their
sport and so that others just 'clicking by' may want to return,
or even want to give skating a go! It would also be nice to
see more sites by skating clubs and different skaters,
especially those who have been successful at a World level.
The more skating websites there are out there the better!". |
Q:
If you had to choose a moment in your illustrious career (or
two), what would it be?
"Definitely winning the two golds, for Roller and Inline
that we have in common! Also doing the held Invert for the
first time at the 1993 World Championships in Bordeaux was
pretty exciting!".
The 'Tammy-vert' was performed in 1993 and for the first
time by Tammy. It is an inverted camel spin entered by a ob
camel edge, the freeleg is then met behind with the opposite
hand in a bent position. From this, the skater then turns in
to the invert position and the free leg and hand are held in
tact so that the foot is held almost behind her skating knee..
'spectacular!' |
Tammy's
personal message:
"Enjoy what you do and pursue your goals with all the
ability given to you......".
 Follow
your dream Take one step at a time
Don't settle for less Just continue to climb
Follow your dream If you stumble don't stop
Keep your eye on the goal Press on to the top
For only on top can we see the whole view
Can we see what we've done and what we can do
Can we then have the vision to seek something new
Press on and follow your dream......
Pictured:
2003 Worlds Argentina - Gold for Tammy
Performing
an amazing heel camel spin on inlines..
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Thanks to Tammy Bryant for taking time out to make this interview
possible...
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