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' Cockbum hopes to bow out at Pan Am Games BY MICHAEL HAYAKAWA mhayakawa®yrmg.rom Karen Cockbum has bounced. sommersaulted and vaulted her way on a trampoline ln countless international competitions around the world. To show for it. the 33-year-old Whitchumh Stouffville resident has won an individual world champi- onship in 2003. claimed two silver Olympic medals in 2004 and 2008 and one bronze in 2000. But before retiring from soar- ing heights on the world stage. Cockbum mealed there’s one void missing from her storied career â€" to compexe in a major event in from of a home crowd. Cockbum hopes that opportu- nity comes next year when the Pan American Games are staged in the GTA. A first-time mom last fall. Cock- bum has been diligently preparing to regain the form that made her a force on the women’s circuit. The veteran Skyriders Club performer could end her career at home and atone for a disappoint~ ment she experienced at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadala- jara. Mexico. “I was born and raised in Toron- to. so to be able to compete at such :7! ~.. ' A 2A " I “ ‘ it; > “ e, w w ‘ W" 3-,. “I I ’4 .. . 4?: *a 4% um mm. a WM hum tn. TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Poropon Am Canada P. an'event at home in front of fam- ily and friends would be a great experience.” she said. “I won a gold medal at the 2007 Pan Am Games in Rio de laneim. where trampo- line made its Pan Am debut. “At the 2011 Pan Am Games in Guadalajara I won the qualifica- tion round. but came down with food poisoning or a stomach bug and was unable to compete in the finals and defend my Pan Am title. It would be nice to have another shot at the title." She‘s only been on a trampoline formelasttwoweekswhileworking with new trainer lanWamer. whose sons lustyn and ian were members of Canada's track and field team at the 2010 Summer Olympics. nnsr-mne non But she feels she’s already made considerable progress with an emphasis on improving her strength. in fact. she has already exceeded her initial expectations. This despite experiencing a minor complication during her pregnancy when she developed diastasis recti. a condition where her abdominal muscles split. To overcome this. (lockbum has been working with her ath- letic therapist to strengmen her abdominal muscles and has been temporarily wearing a brace to support that affected area when jumping on the trampoline. “I cunently weigh less then my pie-pregnancy weight." she said. “My focus in the gym is on regaining my lean muscle mass and improving my power. I started back on the trampoline two weeks ago and it feels great to be in the air again. lam tryingto take it slow. as my mind wants to do everything I did before. but my body needs time to adapt to jumping on the trampoline again.” It's a bit like riding a bike. “Some maneuvers just come back to you and it feels like you were doing them yesterday.” she ‘l was born and raised in Toronto, so to be able to compete at such an event at home in from of famin and friends would be a great experience.’ “But it takes a long time to get AKA your strength. height. form. bal- ance and flexibility back. As these attributes slowly come back over the coming months of work. so will the higher level manoeuvers on the trampoline.” Adding to the challenge facing Oockbum is becoming a fim-time parent. To find a balance in being a par- ent and athlete requires plenty of planning and time management. she said. "l have a lot of support from my husband (Mathieu Mean. for- mer Canadian Olympic trampolin- isl). parents and in-laws There is always someone willing to babysit when I need to gm to the gym. NEW TRAINER "I currently meet my trainer three times a week for a two-hour session. I try to keep my workouts quick and efficient so that I am not away from my daughter for too long. In the evenings. after I put my daughter to sleep and my husband gets home from work. I head out to the trampoline gym to train. 1his has been working well as my daughter does not know that l have left. It is very tiring to train late at night after an early momlng and a long day.” Cockbum has a timetable. “The Pan Am Games qualifica- tion are in August in Mississauga," she said. “That will detemtine how many spots Canada will qualify for the up to a maximum of two. The spots that Canada eams will then be awarded after a series of qualifying competitions that will take place over the 2014-2015 com- petition season.” Some of those coimwtitions include: the Canadian champion- ships in Ottawa in late May along with the Canada (Iup in Newman km in July. the Pan Am (Zhampion~ ships in Mixs‘ixsauga in August. and World Championships in Daytona Beach. Ha. in November. While there are alsu World (Zup events taking place in Europe. (Jockbum intends to forego (11030 to spend time with her daughter. “I feel like I am on track. but you always have to be camful of potential setbacks. l have a plan. but I have to be flexible with man plan.“ ' W“ ‘ “ -“ about haven ( m kbum at katenxoukbumca and on he: Twine: account. @Kalen_C0ckbum GETCONNECTED