'Mo' Tharatip Sridee, a former Thai national team gymnast dubbed the 'Gymnastics Queen,' opens up about her athletic journey—from starting at age five to her grand farewell from the national team, having won a total of 7 gold, 10 silver, and 4 bronze medals.
The Beginning of Gymnastics Starting at age five, her mother took her to weekend classes at a general sports school. Initially, it was just for health and not a special interest, but due to her 'talent,' she could perform any move the teacher demonstrated. This led her coach to see potential and encouraged her to train seriously, which became her motivation to continue.
Her nickname 'Gymnastics Queen' came from a Thai championship where five gold medals were contested, and she swept all five. It remains a proud moment for her to have earned that title.
SEA Games Experience: From Pressure to Systematic Management
Her first SEA Games was a challenging experience in every aspect, including rigorous training camps where she missed school and felt isolated. Despite that, she fulfilled her role for the country and won 2 silver medals in her debut.
Overcoming Pressure: During her first competition, Mo struggled with pressure but reminded herself, 'I have trained well,' focusing on performing the routines she had practiced.
Second Adjustment: After gaining experience, she managed training, life adaptation, and competitions better next time because everything was planned systematically.
She believes success is not just about gold medals but about performing 100% of what was practiced on competition day. Ultimately, she did secure gold medals.
Challenges Faced: Battling Pressure and Weight Control
Being a gymnast from a young age was challenging, especially between ages 14 and 24, facing numerous difficulties.
Both pressure and responsibilities She had to contend with pressure from herself, seniors, and the burden of representing Thailand and winning medals for the association.
Weight management This was the toughest for Mo, as gymnastics demands flexibility and an ideal body weight. Excess weight affected wearing costumes aesthetically and increased injury risks to ankles, knees, and back.
Handling discouragement Although sometimes discouraged, daily training built habit. Upon waking, she would forget discouragement and continue training as usual.
Method to overcome fear She often felt fear before competitions, but overcame it by 'practicing a lot' until uncertain moves could be performed perfectly before competing.
Farewell: The Most Precious Final Gold Medal
Mo Tharatip officially retired from the SEA Games arena in Indonesia, marking her last competition for the Thai national team.
Her final rhythmic gymnastics competition featured only one gold medal event, which she successfully won.
Though she felt her first-day performance was not great, she refocused and performed excellently on the remaining apparatus the next day, leading the overall scores. She wished to fix earlier mistakes but felt 'proud to have given her best'.
The Difference Between Two Gold Medals
The first gold was the feeling of 'the first time' a young athlete aged 14–16 won a SEA Games gold, initially leaving her 'confused about herself'.
The last gold was the feeling of 'the last time' in a grand and memorable farewell.
Support from Mother and Pride
Her mother was a key figure who stood by her and supported her continuously, not with many words of encouragement but by 'being there' all the time.
She thanked her mother for introducing her to sports at age five, enabling her athletic development. Her mother also made sacrifices by moving her to a dormitory and enrolling her in a school near training facilities to allow full practice. Mo believes the medal her mother liked most was the SEA Games gold in Vietnam, as it was a long-awaited and significant achievement.
In closing, Mo advised younger athletes to 'train diligently,' listen to their coaches, and 'control emotions' and focus, because gymnastics is a 'competition with oneself.' If the mind is calm, focused, and all practiced moves are executed, that is already success.