Midknight Robin hosts today’s show with 2017 World Team member Marvin Kimble. They discuss winning on the international scene, the Junior Olympic National Championships, and the upcoming U.S. Gymnastics Championships.
GymnasticsVille: What’s your Favorite gymnastics moment?
Marvin Kimble: “The 2014 Junior Olympic National Championships. That’s when I broke the all-around record. I still hold the highest all-around score at J.O.’s with a 94.04. It was a strange competition because the week before I didn’t feel prepared at all to compete. My coach came up to me and said “I trust your abilities, go out there and do gymnastics. It’s easy for you”. Then I went out to the competition and I felt great. It kinda all came together. It was a lot of fun, I was with my teammates, it was my senior year. We were all having fun winning together.”
GymnasticsVille: In April at the Pacific Rim Championships, Team USA won team gold and you claimed the pommel horse title. Can you share your thoughts on that experience?
Marvin Kimble: “I always love the Pacific Rim Championships, because that was my first international meet ever (when on the Junior National Team), it’s pretty much home for me. I feel comfortable at that meet. Whenever I go there it’s just another meet for me. I’ve been to Columbia a couple times….I had an injury and couldn’t do all six. So I just settled for pommel horse and the team did what they had to do.”
GymnasticsVille: Talk about the Japan Training Camp
Marvin Kimble: “Everyone was super friendly. All friendly competition in the gym…. Overall is was a good vibe the city hosted a good training camp. We met the mayor, we kinda felt like celebrities while we were there. We got a taste of their gymnastics world. Our team was locked in.”
GymnasticsVille: Thoughts on the Doha World Cup, and winning the silver medal on high-bar.
Marvin Kimble: “Overall, I loved the venue. World Championships is gonna be there this year. It’s super loud. Everyone is super nice. It was a tough competition. All the equipment is beautiful. Doha is one of the most beautiful places that i’ve been for a competition. It was a great experience.”
GymnasticsVille: At the 2018 World Championships you made event finals on parallel bars and highbar. Can you talk about what mindset you were in?
Marvin Kimble: “Around that time I was pretty locked in. I was in autopilot mode. It was an awesome experience because this was my first time competing at a world championships….I got to go out there and feel what the other guys felt. I hit my routines. Now people know who is coming up, who to look for. I just wanted to get my name out there and show that I belong.”
GymnasticsVille: How’s Training going for U.S. Gymnastics Championships?
Marvin Kimble: “Everything was going pretty well and I was looking good up until last week. I was on floor and I kinda pulled my hamstring. I had to call a doctor right away and get an MRI that day. Right now i’m not allowed to straddle. I can’t do floor at all. No vault. We are trying to decide if we should play it safe, get healthy, and see what’s next. Petition to either the national team or the world team selection camp. Just trying to weight our options out. If I do compete at Championships it will just be four events. No floor, no vault and depending on what the doctor says. I feel like I can push through it, but I gotta listen to the doctor. This is tough for me to take because I don’t like missing competitions.”
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