Lilia Arias ‘27 has devoted more than half of her life to learning, practicing and excelling at rhythmic gymnastics. She recently competed in the 20th FIG Ritan Cup in Belgrade, Serbia representing Puerto Rico in the Rhythmic Gymnastics Competition. We had a chance to catch up with her when she returned.
When did you start at Tampa Prep?
LA: “I joined Tampa Prep going into 10th grade so it is only my second full year here.”
How long have you been doing rhythmic gymnastics and how did you get interested in this sport?
LA: “I got interested in rhythmics when I was 6 years old after my mother found a gym close to our house. After failed attempts at artistic gymnastics and ballet, my mother tried to find something else that would not make me scream in terror or complain. At the time I was a super skinny child and most rhythmic gymnasts have a very lean, strong, dancer build and she thought I would do great. I really enjoyed it and immediately we knew that rhythmics would be my long term sport. I have now been a rhythmic gymnast for 11 years which is the majority of my life.”
How much of your time does it occupy with practice, competitions, etc?
LA: “I practice 4 hours a day/5 days a week, meaning 20 hours a week. Practice starts at 4pm and finishes around 8pm most weekdays while Saturday practices are from 10am to 2pm. In short, when I’m not at school, I’m in the gym. I am very passionate about my sport.”
Can you talk about the competitions that you’ve done as well as the experience of competing in Serbia? Where else have you traveled for your sport?
LA: “We compete pretty often and the competitions can take up a whole weekend because they are usually out of state. I’ve been to only one other international meet which was last year when I competed in Miss Valentine which is in Tartu, Estonia. I competed only half of my routines since I was not yet a national team member of a country. Miss Valentine is one of the longest running competitions and is very well known. I was so excited to have the privilege to compete there. A year later, I reached my goal of getting onto the Puerto Rican National Team and then was able to do my first full international competition representing Puerto Rico in the Ritam Cup in Serbia which has also been running for a long time.”
What is your favorite thing about competing?
LA: “My favorite thing about competition is the aspect of performance. I always have a sense of dread before I compete and on the practice floors I’m usually working hard to mute my emotions. I’ve learned how to manage stress, pressure, anxiety, and disappointment extremely well thanks to this sport. And I can’t explain the sense of relief when the competition is over. Now that I compete internationally against an extremely high level of competition (who I know I will see in the Olympics) I have learned to stop comparing myself and to be grateful that I made it into the same room as them.”
Anything else you’d like to share?
LA: “I’m so thankful that the structure of Tampa Prep has allowed me the best possible scenario to pursue my rhythmic career while still successfully pursuing my academic career. I’m able to enjoy a wonderful feeling of accomplishment to be able to be involved in these big competitions because even if you don’t win you get to see how far you’ve come and the progress you’ve made.”
