Naomi Visser is a reputation that I’ve been seeing within the standings of main competitors for years. However evidently with every passing yr I solely see her title an increasing number of. Naomi’s trait previously few years is she solely appears to turn out to be extra impactful, extra related, and extra of an element with every competitors. It isn’t a single routine that makes her so spectacular, however that I maintain seeing her title time and time once more.
Naomi is a workhorse for the Dutch program. As a Seventh-year senior Naomi has did not earn a significant project she was eligible to compete in on simply 4 events since 2017. However half of these events got here in 2017 when she was a 1st-year senior. Since 2018 she has appeared in 9 of 11 competitions between the European Championships, World Championships, and Olympics.
However probably the most putting statistic is that the one time Naomi has did not make All-Round finals in high-level competitors was the very first time she competed in a significant, senior-international competitors on the 2018 European Championships. However on the 2018 European Championships she was solely allowed to compete on vault and was ineligible for the All-Round. In different phrases, Naomi Visser has a document of eight consecutive appearances in All-Round Finals, on eight makes an attempt at competing All-Round, whereas solely having 9 profession competitions.
In not too long ago years Naomi Visser has been significantly profitable within the All-Round. The final time she actually struggled within the All-Round was the 2019 World Championships the place she completed exterior the top-20 in each {qualifications} and All-Round Finals. However ever since then Naomi Visser has completed contained in the top-10 on all however one event. The lone exception being the 2022 World Championships the place she certified within the #9 place however a foul exhibiting in All-Round Finals left her in 18th place. However given her qualification outcomes had been so robust, Visser’s All-Round expertise was clearly seen.
However Naomi Visser’s different power is in Occasion Finals. Since 2022 there have been two European Championships and one World Championships. Between these three competitions Visser has three consecutive appearances in uneven bars finals and three consecutive appearances in ground finals. On this time interval and ensuing three-competition stretch she has technically certified into half of all equipment finals. Add in her All-Round outcomes and Visser has participated in 60% of all the person occasions on the World Championships and European Championships stage.
However sadly, Naomi Visser has by no means received a medal in any of the person occasions between the European Championships or World Championships. Once I said beforehand that in her total seven yr senior profession Naomi Visser has missed out on making the Dutch lineup on solely 4 events between any of the foremost competitions, a type of 4 events was the 2021 Olympics. Regardless of being some of the impactful Dutch gymnasts of the last decade, Naomi Visser shouldn’t be an Olympian.
So as to add insult to damage, Visser was slated to journey to the Olympics as an alternate the place she may have at the very least obtained among the Olympic expertise as a token appreciation for all her exhausting work. However a constructive Covid check proper earlier than the Olympics prevented her from touring with the crew.
Naomi Visser’s uncommon rise is that of a gymnast who can so simply be dismissed as unimportant at first look, however concurrently be a gymnast who retains showing time and time once more in the direction of the highest of the ultimate standings. She appeared so many instances that finally Naomi should now be categorized as one of many best within the sport. The rise of Naomi Visser wasn’t a case the place she shot into stardom in a single day. She is a gymnast who first appeared on the backside of the standings, then stored reappearing repeatedly till we are actually compelled to take her critically. All whereas Visser remains to be ready for that first elusive medal in any of the person occasions of main competitors.
There’s a particular feeling when it got here to witnessing the rise of Naomi Visser as a result of she rose to prominence in such a gradual vogue. Gymnasts win followers over with their wonderful athletic feats and lovable personalities. After which there may be Naomi Visser who for thus lengthy gave the impression to be unimportant and no totally different from any of the opposite gymnasts. However then her significance grew on you and one can solely recognize the way in which Naomi made you alter your thoughts about her.
In gymnastics fandom, among the best emotions to have is passionately rooting for a gymnast you by no means anticipated to turn out to be one among your favorites. If a gymnastics fan can overcome that preliminary opposition, she or he is aware of that the traits making her so likable are actual.
However this isn’t all that makes Naomi particular, as a result of one among my favourite particulars about her profession is the truth that she is just 21 years previous. The trio of Elisabeth Seitz (age 29), Becky Downie (age 31), and Sanne Wevers (age 31) successful medals in Occasion Finals on the 2023 European championships was additional proof that the “little woman” period of ladies’s gymnastics is lifeless whereas getting old veterans are nonetheless viable medal threats.
However on the decrease age brackets one other development is rising, that being so many gymnasts don’t hit their stride till they have already got years of expertise on the senior stage. Angelina Melnikova famously went on a scorching streak in her early 20s. However so did Rebeca Andrade, Alice Kinsella, Martina Maggio, Jordan Chiles, Coline Devillard, Zsofia Kovacs, and Shilese Jones.
Within the present period probably the most dominant age bracket are gymnasts of their early 20s. Extra strikingly, it’s proper round age 21 or 22 the place the careers of so many gymnasts begin to actually get attention-grabbing. In ladies’s gymnastics, there may be nothing extra indicative of future success than a gymnast who is correct round her twenty first birthday exhibiting large enchancment and consistency.
That description matches to a tee the immediately profitable Naomi Visser who simply so occurs to be 21 years previous. If her 60% participation fee within the particular person occasions isn’t sufficient to provide one pause, the similarities she has in profile to so many different medal winners of the present period is additional reassurance that it is a gymnast one should watch. All whereas being beneath the tutelage of a coach with a longtime observe document of manufacturing probably the most profitable Dutch gymnasts to this point.
However even when Naomi doesn’t obtain breakout success within the type of future medals, I really feel she has already earned the fitting to be handled a peer amongst the medal contenders. If you qualify to Occasion Finals as ceaselessly as Naomi Visser have, you should be handled with the identical respect as all the opposite high gymnasts. As a result of solely the perfect within the sport make Occasion Finals with this a lot frequency.
