Gym wheel: Jan Wussow from Neustadt still has a chance at the World Cup
The sneakers are firmly anchored in leather straps, eyes focused straight ahead, arms stretched and the body tensed up to the tips of the hair. Jan Wussow shifts his weight backwards and the gym wheel begins to roll. Now his program begins. He stretches and turns, changes position, even swings on the bike, before pushing it off with a skilful jump. Everything practiced a hundred times, perfectly rehearsed – so perfect that even the German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) became aware of the 18-year-old.
Dirk Balkenohl from the technical committee of the gym wheel gymnasts discovered Wussow at the Germany Cup 2021 and nominated him without further ado for the 2022 Gym Wheel World Championship, which will take place in Sønderborg, Denmark. Participation in the World Cup – a dream for many athletes. But Wussow canceled the DTB. How did that happen?
Giant gym wheel in Neustadt
His passion for gymnastics began in 2012 as a fourth grader. “A friend of my sister’s took us with her once,” says Wussow. Since then he can no longer do without the bike. He took part in tournaments for the NLC Holstein. While he was initially seventh, eighth and fifth on the table, it was first in three of the last four Germany Cups, the German Gymnastics Championships for amateur athletes, so to speak (see video of Wussow’s winning run at the 2021 Germany Cup in Fallersleben below). And that, although Wussow is a stately 1.93 meters tall. This makes it an exception and needs an XXL gymnastics wheel with a circumference of 2.45 meters – there are only two of them in Germany.
One of them is with the NLC Holstein. The 45 kg giant aluminum gymnastics wheel was specially made in Hessen. The device cost 2,350 euros, about half of which was financed by the Rotary club. A total of 30 exercise bikes are available for 28 female and male athletes. Three times a week there is training in different groups and an enormous amount of volunteer work is invested to bring the youngsters closer to the gymnastics wheel. In Neustadt, wheel gymnastics has a 40-year history. Nowadays, the former wheel gymnast Bianca Tode is in charge of the division.
The door to the World Cup is still open
At the NLC, however, the gym bike is a popular sport, whoever wants to progress in terms of performance has to go to Bad Schwartau, where the national class trains. Wussow decided against it. The connection to the NLC Holstein played a role. Another reason: The cautious Lulatsch relies fully on his training, is a prospective metal and steel worker and is currently doing his college entrance qualification. The nomination for the World Gymnastics Championships, which will take place in May 2022, came too short-term for him. “I can’t make it in time,” says Wussow.
The DTB and Balkenohl would have to reschedule. The association and its technical inspector have to contend with concerns about young talent, and one place in the men’s squad in Vussov’s age group is still vacant. The gym cyclists have to invest a lot. “Wheel gymnasts often stop when they switch from school or university to work,” says Balkenohl. To be able to make a living from gymnastics is an illusion. The reality looks like this: When German gymnastics athletes take part in world championships, they often have to pay for flights, hotels and everything else out of their own pocket.
That wouldn’t be a big problem for Wussow, as the next World Cup in Sønderborg, Denmark, will take place on the doorstep. His discoverer Balkenohl is very fond of him: “With his body length he can exercise calmly and with tension and has the bike under control. All the basics are there. ”In addition to Wussow’s specialties straight and jump, he would have to practice a music freestyle and the genre“ spiral ”at short notice, both of which are performed at a World Gymnastics Championships. Despite the rejection, Balkenohl does not give up: “The door is still open for him – but not for long …”
By Andreas Breitenberger
Reference-www.ln-online.de