WEST TOWN — It’s a Thursday night, and Dalai Jamiyankhuu, a gymnast on the Lakeshore Academy’s boys team, is walking on his hands in a line with his teammates, toes pointed up to the sky.
This is one of many practices before Jamiyankhuu heads to the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, scheduled for Oct. 23-Nov. 1 in Glasgow, Scotland. Jamiyankhuu, who was born in Mongolia and immigrated with his family to the United States as a 10-year-old, is one of five members of Mongolia’s national gymnastics team.
When asked what motivates him to keep going, Jamiyankhuu said, “definitely the end goal, and how good it felt to be on stage performing and showing what I’ve been training for.”
The competition will highlight more than 500 gymnasts vying for world titles and qualifications for the Rio 2016 Olympics, according the competition website.
As a 17-year-old student at Niles West High School, Jamiyankhuu won the gymnastics all-around state title in May — despite injuring his back earlier in the season. The Skokie resident said he feels better now, though he still has some lingering pain.
Dalai Jamiyankhuu flips during practice at the Lakeshore Academy, 937 W. Chestnut. [DNAinfo/Tatiana Walk-Morris]
“Back in May when I competed at state, my back was not fully healed yet, but I wanted to compete, so I rushed the process a little bit,” he said. “My back still hurts. There’s still minor injuries like wrists and knees, but it shouldn’t be too bad… Icy Hot [has] been my best friend.”
To prep for the competition, Jamiyankhuu said he’s doing more routines daily.
Marla Marshfield, general manager of the Lakeshore Academy, 937 W. Chestnut St., remembers the day Jamiyankhuu’s father brought his eldest son to the gym with medals from his Mongolian gymnastics competitions. She said she immediately noticed that Jamiyankhuu was talented, and since then he has become part of their community.
“He’s just such a hard worker and so strict with himself,” Marshfield said. “He and his brother will come in without the coach, and they’ll work really hard.”
Marshfield said he’s the first Lakeshore Academy student to compete in the international competition, adding that she believes he’ll have several offers of university scholarships.
“For us, he’s already made it,” Marshfield said. “He’s gonna be on this world stage to show off all the things that he’s done over the years ... We watch these kids grow up, and we feel like we have a part in raising them. When they get to these big accomplishments, we’re so happy.”
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