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Young and mighty

Juk turns heads at gymnastics competition
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Ilka Juk of Team BC performs on the balance beam.

There was a moment when Ilka Juk, a diminutive B.C. gymnast, drew gasps from spectators watching the women's balance beam finals.

Slowly, from her handstand on the narrow beam, the 11-year-old faced the crowd, then stretched her legs backward, pointing her toes toward the audience. She bent even further until her legs were all but parallel to the ground.

It was a gravity-defying move that seemed to fold her body in half - in a collapsed and backwards 'c' shape.

Juk qualified for one of the eight spots on women's beam Thursday at the Northern Sport Centre. She was one of three her age who competed at the Canada Winter Games, and the youngest to make it into the finals.

"This was special," said Juk after she placed eighth in her event with a score of 12.450, just 0.15 behind seventh-place Mia Dimas of Saskatchewan. The gold medallist in beam won with a score of 15.35.

She was also part of the women's team that won bronze in the team event on Sunday.

Juk looked strong to start on the beam, but then fell off after a flip, eliciting another gasp from the crowd.

Juk said she was disappointed by her performance Thursday in the finals, especially after she had a stronger showing on the balance beam earlier in the competition.

"It wasn't that good. I've done better," she said. "I'm still happy I can come back (to the next Games) and do it again."

The Canada Winter Games has been her biggest event yet; so far she's competed at nationals and for Elite Canada.

But she's already thinking about where she can compete next. Hopefully in Europe, Juk said, since so far she's just travelled to the United States.

"I thought it was a really good experience," she said of the Games. "It's teaching me more and I'll get used to the stress and stuff like that for the bigger (competitions)."

She has a poster on her bedroom wall of a Brazilian gymnastics cup. It's a first step toward an even bigger dream.

"I know I want to go to the Olympics one day."

When she focuses on that goal, she thinks of role models like Aliya Mustafina, a famous Russian gymnast and Olympic champion.

There are certain moments when Juk really loves what she does.

"Usually it's on the beam because then I have the adrenaline and I feel really good," she said.

"My favourite (trick) is the three quarters. It's when you do a back handspring with a one-and-a-half turn and then you land on your arms and handstand."

With challenging moves, she said she tries to keep calm.

"I'm trying to focus but at the same time I'm kind of like soft. I need to focus a lot."

Juk started tumbling at the age of four and said she's been competing for the past six years. She gets her love of gymnastics from her mother, who also competed at the nationals, but stopped soon after.

"So now I'm trying to finish it for her," said Juk, who called her mother at home in Vancouver as soon as she made it to the finals. "She's proud. She was happy and she believed I could do it."

On an average day, Juk trains five and a half hours, with one rest day a week. She said she doesn't get tired of it.

"I'm usually satisfied with what I do," she said. "You learn how to do all these kinds of tricks and stuff and it also teaches discipline, I know that."

If she does get tired, Juk said she focuses on that far-off goal to make it to the Olympics.

"I just think about my dream and I just keep pushing."