Gymnast sees Olympic rings in his future

Michael Stanley has his eyes and heart set firmly on future Olympic Games.

The 10-year-old Otonga School pupil and Mid Island Gymnastic Sports (MIGS) club gymnast has been selected for the under-14 development team and has returned from his latest competition with a haul of medals.

Michael took up the sport four years ago and said he was excited about being chosen for the under-14 team.

He cleaned up at the recent Mt Tauhara Junior Levels Artistic Competition held in Taupo, bringing home five gold and two silver medals from the contest - gold on the floor, rings, parallel bars, horizontal bar and all-round, silver for pommel and vault.

Gymnastics was hard but a lot of fun, he said.

"I thought gymnastics would be cool and it is. I'd love to win a medal at the Olympics one day."

In the meantime, he'll settle for representing New Zealand at age-group level.

"With a lot of hard work and training, I think I could do well. I can't believe it, this is so cool.

"I'll learn a lot being in this team," he said.

Right now, he's in training for his next competition, in Tauranga.

Robyn Donaldson, MIGS centre manager, said Michael was easy for the coaches to work with and he expected the youngster would go far in the sport.

"He's the sort of child you love to work with - he applies everything you teach him."

There was no reason Michael couldn't obtain his Olympic Games dream in the future, Donaldson said.

"He's very committed to training. He has natural talent and if his attitude continues the way it has been, then there is no reason he won't make it ... we are all very proud of him."