It’s our pleasure to introduce Oliver Fong, a 2012 Men’s Artistic Gymnastics athlete from Kanata, ON, Canada who trains with Yevgeny Molyev and Michael Figotin at Rideau Gymnastics.

Read below to learn more about Oliver 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?
Competitive career started around age 6 at a local club in Kanata, Ontario. One of the comp coaches asked my parents if I could tryout and I made the Developmental group. Learning new skills was fun and meeting new friends.

What was it like to compete for the first time? Did this experience shift for you as you gained experience?
I had COVID the week before my first comp so I wasn’t sure if I was going to be cleared to go, but I was and I felt really nervous but it was fun to compete against kids from other cities. I’m still nervous, but nowadays I’m less nervous because I’ve met the same kids multiple times and even less nervous since we are a part of the same team, “Team Ontario”.

As you continued training and competing, what were some of the challenges you faced? And, how did you overcome them?
Staying healthy has been a challenge (I’m always getting small colds and flus), minor injuries and pain, especially bc I have very flat feet has been a real challenge this year. I’m working on the colds and flus by taking lots of vitamins and trying to sleep more. I wear better shoes that have good support when I’m at school to help my arches.

Who and what has been most influential in your gymnastics career? And, how have you stayed dedicated and motivated?
My coaches, my friends, and my faith in God. My coaches keep teaching me new skills which is motivating to continue, my friends keep me dedicated because we love training together, and my faith teaches me that I’m designed for this.

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?
No

Could you talk about your perspective on this practice and share your experience growing up within it, if applicable?
It’s a great idea, but we don’t have a lot of older MAG athletes where I live.

What are some of your most memorable career highlights?
Winning both provincial championships that I’ve competed.

Could you please share what grade you’re in and what plans and aspirations you have for the future?
Grade 6, not super sure what I want to be in the future, but I kind of want to be a pediatrician.

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?
Travelling to different cities and seeing your teamates and hanging out together at the hotel. The excitement of travelling and competing is really fun as a team.

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 training has taught me patience, which I need to get through school!

Lastly, do you have any advice for younger athletes who are interested in MAG? Both in terms of gymnastics and in general?
Just try it, if you don’t like it, but give it a shot. The other MAG team kids will love having another kid on the team!

Lightning Round Questions

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

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

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

Your morning drink/meal of choice is:
Milk and anything with eggs in it.

On your days off, what do you LOVE doing?
Video games

Your three biggest priorities in life are:
Family, friends, food.

Describe your go-to style in and out of the gym:
Any athletic wear that’s easy and ready to go.

THAT’S A WRAP! THANK YOU, Oliver!

We hope you found Oliver’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.