Brazilian gymnast, Arthur Nory Mariano, on Tokyo 2020, and pushing himself in training during the day and going to university at night

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Saanchi ShahBelle Ho
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Arthur Nory Mariano talks to our junior reporters about his training regimen and plans for the future

Saanchi ShahBelle Ho |
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Arthur Nory after his floor routine in Rio during the Olympic games in 2016.

The talented Brazilian gymnast, Arthur Nory Mariano, gave Young Post an insight into his life as an Olympic athlete in training during his first visit to Hong Kong. It has been nearly two years since Arthur rose to fame after he won the Bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 24-year-old was in Hong Kong earlier this month to promote this year’s Fifa World Cup, and joined the Fashion Walk King of Sports Kick-off event as part of the World Cup promotions.

We had the opportunity to sit down with Arthur and ask him about how he trains for competitions, and what he loves about being an athlete.

“I train twice a day for around four hours, and burn around 700 to 1,000 calories in each training session,” said Arthur. He typically starts his day off with an early morning training session, and then has lunch at his club with other gymnasts. Then, he’ll go into his second training session. In the evening, he goes to university and continues his further studies.

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Next stop, Japan

Arthur is currently training in preparation for the 2020 Olympics which will be held in Tokyo, Japan, which is also one of his home countries, as he is part-Japanese from his maternal side.

When he was asked how he’s attained such flexibility, he told us that the only way to do it is to train every day.

“Stretching everyday and pushing yourself past your comfort zone is important. It might hurt, but it works very well. It’s all about persistence,” he said. He also added that consistency is key to increasing one’s flexibility, and keeping to a daily practice routine should definitely result in progress.

From left: Belle Ho, Saanchi Shah and Arthur Nory at Fashion Walk.
Photo: Rhea Mogul/SCMP

Persistence is not only crucial for flexibility, but it is also what has made Arthur the skilled gymnast he is now. He told us the rings was a skill that took him a lot of time to perfect, as it requires the most strength, control and body stability. However he has never let a challenge hold him back, and always strives to give his fans unforgettable performances.

The gymnast revealed that the most memorable moment of his career had to have been the presentation ceremony at the 2016 Olympics.

“The fans were so vibrant and supportive, it was an amazing experience” he said. Arthur also disclosed the “low on salt, no sweets, and chocolate, and no junk [food]” diet he follows when preparing for a big competition.

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The best part of being an athlete

Towards the end of the interview, Arthur told us his favourite part of being an athlete. He said gymnastics made him a better person, and gave him skills that he could apply in the future, such as discipline and persistence. He also mentioned the support and love from his fans is something that motivates him to give his all when he performs.

Lastly, we asked him what his plans are as a gymnast in the coming years. Right now, he said he’s staying focused on preparing for the upcoming Olympic Games, which he hopes will propel his career to a whole new level.

Arthur also added, that the Olympics are always a memorable experience for athletes, due to the level of competition and opportunity to enhance your skills and performance.

Edited by Nicole Moraleda

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