Bolivia hosts an Academy for Rhythmic Gymnastics for the first time

The Bolivia Gymnastics Federation has hosted six previous FIG Academies and now hosted its first Academy for Rhythmic Gymnastics. It was a Level 1 Academy held at the Colisea Los Angeles in the city of Santa Cruz on June 20-27, 2016. This was the 39th Academy for Rhythmic Gymnastics and the 17th within the countries of the Pan American Union (PAGU).

Nineteen coaches participated from five FIG member federations form South America – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay. Worldwide, over 500 different coaches from 65 federations have attended Rhythmic Academies held so far.

The course leader was Ximena (Mini) Rodriguez (right) of Chile. She has served frequently as FIG expert for Academies and age group camps. This time she taught all of the theory lectures. One expert came from Europe and one from Mexico to teach between them all of the technical lectures at this Academy. They were Nadya Aleksandrova of Great Britain (centre) who was former Bulgarian and British National Coach and is a member of the Academy working group and frequent Academy and age group programme expert. She was joined by Monica Guzman of Mexico who had taught at a number of Rhythmic age group programme training camps and another Academy earlier this year.

The results for the comprehensive three-part examination was quite varied but in general, most had satisfactory to good results. The highest result was shared by Julia Veronica Justiniano of Bolivia and Florencia Rodriguez of Brazil. The second highest score was shared between Ana Josefina De Rossi and Nilda Fontanella both from Argentina.

The FIG thanks the Bolivia Gymnastics Federation and especially the President, Fabricio Pinto Fernandez for providing everything necessary to host this seventh Academy in his country so successfully. The commitment of Bolivia to coach education is extraordinary and will be demonstrated again with two additional Academies for Men’s and Women’s Artistic and Trampoline Gymnastics scheduled later this year.

This Academy overlapped with an Olympic Solidarity Technical Course for Rhythmic Gymnastics in the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea. In the meantime another Academy, this time for Men’s and Women’s Artistic Gymnastics has already begun in Hong Kong and FIG Foundations of Gymnastics Courses will begin in South Africa and in Trinidad & Tobago later this week.