Accelerate team member Gaby Carty, 16, has packed her bag for the world titles in the Netherlands next week.
GABY Carty couldn’t believe her luck.
Drafted into EKB Fitness and Aerobics’ Accelerate team in June as a back-up, Gaby is now just days away from performing on the world stage.
“It is amazing,” she said.
“To think I started in primary school and to now get to this level.”
Gaby, 16, is one of eight members of the Accelerate team which will fly out to the Netherlands on Thursday.
The world championships run from October 15 to 21.
Accelerate placed second in its junior fitness category at the national titles in Adelaide in July with its racing-theme routine, qualifying it for world titles.
Coach Emma Bellman said Gaby had slotted into the line-up effortlessly.
“She joined the team in June to learn the routine as a fill-in just in case they got selected for worlds,” she said.
“She has worked very hard learning the routine in a short amount of time.
“Her first competition with this team will be on the world stage.”
Gaby was in EKB’s Intensify team before she received her call-up.
“Intensify is a junior fitness team in the novice section,” Gaby said.
“We compete at nationals but don’t have a chance to go to the worlds.” She expects to perform with Intensify again after the world championships.
“We basically train every day,” she said.
“I thought it would be really hard but I really enjoy it and will miss it when it’s over.”
Gaby said the team trained up to eight hours a week, with recovery on top of that.
She said training included two morning sessions each week before school.
Gaby goes to Warrnambool College with teammates Aylish Auchettl, Tiarna Drake and Sophie Bellman.
Accelerate will compete in the junior fitness section at worlds.
Other age groups are cadet and seniors, while solos, duets, trios and dance are some of the other categories on offer.
“Fitness is all about getting up and down quickly and being able to do jumps and kicks,” Gaby said.
“I am definitely a lot fitter than I was before and more flexible.
“It comes down to more hours training and more motivation.”
Gaby, who last travelled overseas when she was five, said the pressure on the world stage would be nerve-racking.
“There are preliminary finals, semi-finals and the final,” she said.
“You have to be in the top six to get through each time.”
As well as competing, Gaby wants to watch other athletes and learn from the best.
“You see the best competitors at nationals from Australia and I can only imagine seeing them from all over the world,” she said.
“It will be incredible to see what they can do.”
Accelerate members will receive their uniforms at a presentation today.
justine.mc@standard.fairfax.com.au
