It’s our pleasure to introduce Tyler Sabapathy, a 2006 Men’s Artistic Gymnastics athlete from Toronto, ON, Canada who trains with Slava Sytnik at East York Gymnastics.

Read below to learn more about Tyler and hear how he maintains his competitive edge!

Interview

Weʼd love to begin by learning about your early gymnastics career. When and where did you start your competitive program? And, what did you love most about it?
I started my competitive training at 8 years old at East York Gymnastics. I love the self discipline that is taught with gymnastics.

What was it like to compete for the first time? Did this experience shift for you as you gained experience?
Much like the first time for everything, it was scary but over the years I have become better at dealing with the pressure and stress.

As you continued training and competing, what were some of the challenges you faced? And, how did you overcome them?
I have faced many injuries throughout my career and it is always important to keep your head up as tough times are inevitable.

Who and what has been most influential in your gymnastics career? And, how have you stayed dedicated and motivated?
The most influential person to my career is Samuel Rakita, he always pushes me to be the best I can in my gymnastics.

One of the aspects of gymnastics that we appreciate so much is that senior competitive athletes often participate in coaching younger competitive athletes. From what we hear, this is pretty standard in the sport and, we have to say, we think itʼs ingenious! Athletes who are new to the sport get to know their role models, which is so inspiring; Senior athletes deepen their knowledge by teaching skills in ways that resonate with boys who have myriad learning styles; and the gymnastics community benefits by having those who are participating in the sport literally shape its future. We’re curious: Does your gym also use a model like this?
Yes

What are some of your most memorable career highlights?
My mom memorable highlight was winning the national championships last year with the national open team.

Could you please share what grade you’re in and what plans and aspirations you have for the future?
As I finish grade 12, I have committed to Temple University to study sports science and be a part of their gymnastics team.

Iʼd like you to imagine that youʼre in your 30s, living your best life! What do you think youʼll remember most fondly about your gymnastics career? And what has been your most fun memory, to this point?
I think I will remember the people I have met and the life skills such as; dedication, perseverance and grit.

Could you please share some of the transferable skills that youʼve developed because of gymnastics? And also about any other ways you anticipate this sport will influence your life in the future?
Gymnastics has taught me that giving up is never an option. Wether itʼs a good day or a bad day itʼs important to put your best effort forward.

Lastly, do you have any advice for younger athletes who are interested in MAG? Both in terms of gymnastics and in general?
Keep pushing yourself everyday to work your hardest. Improvements do not happen overnight.

Lightning Round Questions

If you could eat one food for the rest of your life it would be:
Ramen Noodles

If you were told the internet was going to disappear forever, what would you put on your hard drive? (Movies, shows, music, photos, etc.)
Drake’s entire discography

If you could meet one person (dead or alive), who would it be?
Salvador Dalí

Your morning drink/meal of choice is:
Black iced coffee

On your days off, what do you LOVE doing?
Art, skateboarding and music

Your three biggest priorities in life are:
Gymnastics, friends, being happy

That’s a wrap! Thank you Tyler!

We hope you found Tyler’s interview fun and inspiring! Here at the Grizzly Classic, our goal is to increase participation in Men’s Artistic Gymnastics across Canada. We thought it would be fun to share stories from athletes competing at every level and every age to create a sense of connection among these extraordinary athletes and give newcomers a window into the MAG community.

We hope you found this interview interesting and helpful.

If you have feedback, we’d love to hear it! And, if you know an athlete who would like to be featured, please direct them to the Grizzly Classic Featured Athlete Profile Form.