KYM DOWDELL
(Sports Manager for Artistic Gymnastics and Gymnastics with the Organising Committee of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games) 

What will you take back home to Sydney for the Olympic Games as an observer at Berlin’s World Championships? 
The Berlin Organising Committee has done a very good job. Even difficult issues such as transport and training planning were resolved to the full satisfaction of the gymnasts. 

What is the stage of preparation for Sydney 2000 with regard to artistic gymnastics and gymnastics? 
At the moment, there are some 150 to 200 people working in my area. They are very experienced because they all come from the field of artistic gymnastics and gymnastics. Furthermore, we are planning to stage events in order to increase the experience. 

Sydney hosted the RSG Four-Continents Cup in summer, what was the reception by the spectators? 
I was satisfied. The Olympic Artistic Gymnastics Hall 2000 was opened on this occasion. It seats 5,000 spectators and will also serve the staging of Olympic badminton competitions. The hall for the gymnastics competition is to seat 15,000. That is where the trampoline jumping is going to be held as well, which will be on the Olympic programme for the first time. There was a choice between three designs of the hall and construction work will start at the beginning of next year. Later this venue is also to be used for basketball, but not during the Games. 

A word on the Australian gymnasts. How does one want to lead them closer to the world’s top? 
The Australian gymnasts are fighting an uphill struggle against such disciplines as basketball and football. Under the leadership of the Chinese coach Yuping Tian, the level of the gymnasts has already improved. In 1987, they were ranked 19 in the world, and in 1991 they had moved up to the 6^th position. Here in Berlin, they are back to position 19, but there are several teams from the former Soviet union now. 

Is Australia thinking of inviting former Soviet artistic gymnasts and gymnasts to the continent? 
There is only one gymnast who has come from there. It is exclusively Australians in the other sections of our association. We want to learn from other associations but not take away their masters and talents... 

What are the impressions you are leaving the Max-Schmeling-Halle gym with? 
Fantastic facility! 

 
Next RSG World Championships in Osaka - 
We look forward to the gymnasts of the world 

Chief Trainer Erika Akiyama (JPN)
about her Gymnasts and the Championships of 1999: 

Ms Akiyama, the Japanese team came 8^th in the team finals yesterday, the gymnasts Rieko Matunaga and Yukari Murata went through to the finals on Saturday. Are you satisfied with the performance in Berlin? 
Oh yes, very much so. We have been able to show that gymnastics from Japan is among the world’s best. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen much of Berlin - only this beautiful hall. But this is the place of our greatest success so far - we love Berlin. 

What is the status of gymnastics in Japan? 
It is a very popular sport for young girls. The halls are always filled to capacity at competitions. You were able to hear for yourself at this venue that our fans are very enthusiastic. Some five or six media organisations are represented here, just to report on the World Championships. Gymnastics is very popular, we are the most successful team in Asia. 

What are the goals you have set yourself together with Rieko Matunaga? 
To be among the best ten gymnasts of the world at the Olympic Games in Sydney is what we dream of. 

How do you spot your talents and how do Japanese girls train? 
I ‘went to school’ for a year with Ms Viner in Russia and with Ms Krylenko in Belarus, and I was able to learn a lot there. To go to the primary schools yourself off and on to spot some talents yourself. I found Rieko, our most successful gymnasts at the moment, that way. But the usual way would be for the parents or the grandparents to bring their girls to us. There are no specialised sports schools as in Russia, the girls attend normal schools and train in the afternoons. About five to six hours a day, and even more before championships. There are some 130 girls and young women training at the Women’s Academic Sports Club in Tokyo, under the guidance of seven coaches. 

The coming World Championships will take place in the Japanese city of Osaka. 
We are very happy indeed to be able to welcome the best gymnasts of the world. These will be the first world championships in Japan, a very special highlight. Observers of our Preparatory Committee have come to Berlin - we will undertake every effort to stage similarly nice championships in Osaka.

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KYM DOWDELL
(Sportmanagerin Gymnastik und Turnen des Organisations-Komitees der Olympischen Spiele Sydney 2000) 

Frau Dowdell, was nehmen Sie als Beobachterin der WM von Berlin mit nach Sydney für Olympia 2000? 
Das Berliner Organisations-Komitee hat seinen Job sehr gut erledigt. Auch schwierige Themen wie Transport und Trainingsplanung wurden zur vollen Zufriedenheit der Athletinnen gelöst. 

Wie ist der Vorbereitungsstand Sydney 2000 in Bezug auf Turnen und Gymnastik? 
In meinem Bereich arbeiten momentan 150 bis 200 Mitarbeiter. Sie sind sehr erfahren, weil sie alle aus den Turn- und Gymnastikbereich kommen. Des weiteren planen wir Veranstaltungen, um die Erfahrungswerte zu erhören. 

Sydney war im Sommer Gastgeber zum Vier-Kontinente-Cup in der RSG. Wie war die Resonanz bei den Zuschauern? 
Ich bin zufrieden. Die olympische Gymnastikhalle 2000 wurde bei dieser Gelegenheit eröffnet. Sie faßt 5000 Zuschauer und dient auch zur Austragung der olympischen Badmínton-Wettbewerbe. Die Halle für die Turn-Wettbewerbe soll mehr als 15000 Zuschauer fassen. Dort finden auch die Entscheidungen im erstmals auf dem olympischen Programm stehenden Trampolin-Springen statt. Es gab eine Ausscheidung unter drei Entwürfen. Mit dem Bau wird Anfang nächsten Jahres begonnen. In ihr soll später auch Basketball gespielt werden, aber nicht bei Olympia. 

Mit welchen Eindrücken scheiden Sie aus der Max-Schmeling-Halle? 

Fantastische Wettkampfstätte!

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