Local gymnast has eye on the Olympics

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Ten-year-old Vadim Ivanov is planning to go to the Olympics.

The Centennial Hills resident has been training with Olympic gold medalist Vitaly Scherbo and has been named to the USA Gymnastics 2006 Future Stars National Gymnastics Team.

"It recognizes kids all across the country," said Sasha Ivanov, Vadim's father and a coach at the Vitaly Scherbo School of Gymnastics.

Vadim started training with his father six years ago and is working towards competing in the 2016 Olympics, when he will be 20.

Men's gymnastics competitions are made up of floor, rings, parallel bars, horizontal bars, vault and pommel horse.

"My favorite event is probably the rings," Vadim said. "(Gymnastics) makes me strong, it's fun and it's making me flexible and fast."

Vadim, a fifth-grader at Kahre Elementary School, said he practices three hours a day, six days a week. He also likes to play basketball and football for fun.

"He started training with me but when he became so high level we decided to go with Vitaly. He's a six-time Olympic champion," said Ivanov, who was an acrobat in "Mystere."

Scherbo, Vadim's coach and owner of the Vitaly Scherbo School of Gymnastics at 3250 N. Bronco St., won six gold medals in the 1992 Olympics, four bronze medals in the 1996 Olympics, 12 World Championship titles from 1990 to 1996 and 10 European Championships.

"First of all you have to be born for this," said Scherbo. "The most important thing is to get kids to their highest level so they can get into college and be proud of themselves. To become a big gymnast you have to sacrifice."

The school offers pee-wee classes for children 16 months to 2 years old, and tots classes are for 3- and 4-year-olds. Both classes are $105 for an eight-week session.

Beginner girls, advanced beginner girls, beginner boys and advanced beginner boys are $115 for an eight-week session for 5- to 14-year-olds; intermediate girls' classes for 8- to 14-year-olds are $190 for an eight-week session; and tumble classes are $115 or an eight-week session for ages 6 and up.

The school has an open gym for kids 5 years and older on Saturday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The cost is $8 for members and $15 for guests. A play gym for kids 14 months to 4 years old is $4 for students and $8 for guests and is open on Saturday from 12 to 1:30 p.m.

Birthday parties and summer sessions are also available.

For more information, visit www.vssg.net.