Gymnastics is a sport that normally catches the eye of the attending public at multisport events such as the Pan American Games. This discipline is divided into its artistic version, way more physical and body dominant, and rhythmic, focused on the use of external implements during a routine on the floor.
This second format has Javiera Rubilar (23) as one of her great exponents in the Chilean scene. The athlete born in Temuco, who lived almost all of her life in the small district called Vilcún, in the Araucanía Region, has found her way to win a space in Team Chile with a sustained improvement throughout her career.
Almost four months away from the beginning of Santiago 2023, Javiera talked with us and told us her views of what her participation in the multisport festival of the Americas can be. She also made a review of her professional career.
HOW IS YOUR 2023 SEASON GOING?
On January 1st, I went to train and to my pre-season there. I was there until the final days of April, where we made some changes and I got my series fixed. I also had two in-person and one on-line competitions during that period. Then I had to return to Chile for a control and last weekend I had another competition to practice a little bit.
IS YOUR SCHEDULE TIGHT IN TERMS OF COMPETITIONS IN THE COMING MONTHS?
This Sunday we’ll travel to the Mexico Pre Pan American Games, where the goal is to get another quota for Chile in Santiago 2023. Then, we’ll have another control by the end of July. After that, I’m considering the option of training in Spain ahead of the world championship in August, which will take place in Valencia. That will be possible as long as we obtain the quota for the world championship in the Pre Pan American. Going would be great because when I train in Spain, it’s close to Valencia. Then, in October, I have the South American Games and I’ll end my year with the Pan American Games.
Javiera during his participation in the South American Games of Asunción 2022. (Picture: COCh).
“A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME THAT I’M IN MY BEST MOMENT”
Javiera comes from a year 2022 with amazing results, in both individual and team events for Team Chile. Her participation in the Asunsión South American Games ended with a fourth place in rings, fifth place in ribbon, and six places in ball and stick.
Prior to this participation, the athlete went to the Bolivarian Games in Valledupar and she returned as the most laureated national athlete in this sport. At the time the athlete from the south of Chile obtained the silver medal in ribbon, aside from bronze in the all around event and the ball final.
CONSIDERING GYMNASTICS, BOTH ARTISTIC AND RHYTHMIC, IS PREMATURE, IN WHAT MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER DO YOU THINK YOU ARE AT?
Many people have told me I’m in my best moment. I hope that it’s like that, although I still have a big portion of the year to improve and prepare for the Games properly.
IN LIMA, YOU GOT 15TH GENERAL PLACE. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN IMPROVE THAT PLACEMENT IN SANTIAGO 2023?
As I’m right now, it’s evident I could have better results. We’re working on that and we can see the progress and improvements in comparison to 2019, so I do hope I can get a better placement.
ON THE OTHER HAND, AT THE VALLEDUPAR BOLIVARIAN GAMES YOU WON THREE MEDALS, AN AMAZING DISPLAY. IS THAT A GOOD PARAMETER TO COMPARE YOURSELF WITH YOUR RIVALS AHEAD OF THE GAMES?
Some participants are the same, but for example I competed against representatives from Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, countries that still need to earn their quota for the Games. Either way, we’ll probably meet there.
AND WHO ARE YOUR RIVALS TO BEAT?
For me, competing against the Colombian representatives has been tough, so has been against Argentinians and Venezuelans. I’m slowly comparing my level to theirs and I’ve gotten to surpass them in some competitions. After them, the Americans are the best, along with the Mexicans, Canadians, Brasilians. That’s where it’s at.
Javiera is confident that she will be able to improve her performance in relation to Lima 2019. (Picture: COCh).
PAST AND PRESENT OF NATIONAL GYMNASTICS
When she was four, Javiera’s family, following the example of her sister, decided to try gymnastics out. At that time they lived in Vilcún and the only possibility she had for training was traveling to Temuco, the capital of that region, 40km away from her home.
The athlete admits that she didn’t have much of a choice because she was just a kid, but ended up loving gymnastics and she competed for her first time when she was 9years old and at 17 she entered the senior category, which she competes in today.
HAVE YOU SEEN IMPROVEMENTS IN GYMNASTICS WHERE YOU LIVE?
Yes. I currently train in Vilcún with the club of the district and in Temuco with the Bautista School and the Club de Alto Rendimiento Araucanía (High Performance Club). Pamela Salazar, my life-long coach, has a high performance club where there are pretty good girls, while in Vilcún there is a formative school, aside from my team.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO GO FOR RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS INSTEAD OF ITS ARTISTIC COUNTERPART?
Where I lived, gymnastics wasn’t practiced that much. I found out about it when I was a bit older, when I already liked the rhythmic one. I wasn’t going to change that.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE MOMENT YOU DECIDED TO BECOME A GYMNAST?
My sister practiced rhythmic gymnastics when we were little. The truth is when I was little, they took me there for the first time when I was four so I didn’t have much of a choice. But then I started to like it and here I am now. She's two years older than me but she didn’t continue with this because she felt it was too demanding. She ended up studying and playing basketball as a hobby.
SINCE WHEN ARE YOU TRAINING IN SPAIN?
The first time I trained abroad was 2013, participating in a different club in Spain, where I stayed up to 2016. Between 2017 and 2018 I trained in Bulgaria. Since 2019 I have been training in club Mabel.
IS IT A BIG DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY?
Honestly, yes. Over there I’m trained by Blanca López, who also trained the Spain national team at some point. I also train with her mother, Manola Belda. They both have been doing this for a long time.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF GYMNASTICS IN OUR COUNTRY?
It’s grown a lot in relation to other times. There are really good girls that have tons of potential that are missing just someone who supports them to break out. There are also men competing, they’re being included. That's progress.
Javiera competing in hoop, one of the disciplines of rhythmic gymnastics. (Picture: COCh).
“I’VE NEVER HAD SUCH AN IMPORTANT EVENT HERE. SANTIAGO 2023 WILL BE A GREAT EXPERIENCE”
The Vilcún Club representative doesn’t hide her enthusiasm for the idea of being in the Games in front of the national audience. She points out that it’ll be a unique moment in her career due to the size of the event.
On the other hand, Rubilar also talks about the importance the Games can have to showcase to the public the work high performance athletes put in.
LOOKING AT IT WITH CHILEAN EYES, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT KNOWING THAT SUCH A BIG EVENT LIKE THE PAN AMERICAN GAMES WILL TAKE PLACE IN OUR COUNTRY?
First, having a lot of support from the local crowd. I’ve never competed in an event as big as this one, so it’s going to be a beautiful experience. I hope I can give my best and try to get to a final. That’s what we’re working for. Furthermore, this event will not only be helpful for gymnastics, but also for sports in general.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL PEOPLE THAT ARE THINKING ABOUT GOING TO SEE GYMNASTICS?
I’d tell them to take the opportunity of having such a big sport event, where the best athletes in the Americas will be. There’s no doubt that for us, the athletes, it’s beautiful imagining the idea of competing in your home with your people. For them, the public, it must also be a nice experience because they’ll get to know how we work and see from a closer perspective how much effort we put into this to get good results. I also hope that this event is an entry point for people to practice more sports and to have a better country in the future.
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