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Nicola Willis's star has risen spectacularly fast over the last couple of years. The Essex girl was born in Romford on March 13th 1985 to a couple of seriously sporty parents. Nic's dad, Alan, was an international speedway racer and her mum, Veronica, was a British swimming champion. Not surprisingly, Nicola and her younger brother Craig were encouraged into sport at an early age. Craig now plays both tennis and badminton for Essex, while Nicola has risen from relative obscurity as a junior to be one of Britain's top gym stars at senior level and a world-class floor worker.
Nic learned her craft at South Essex Gymnastics Club under the watchful eye of Rod and Pauline Smith. She grew up in the shadows of gymnastics superstars like Annika Reeder and Paula Thomas who were also renowned for their hugely powerful vaulting and tumbling. Although she never particularly stood out, Nicola was a solid junior gymnast. British gym fans really started to notice her in 2000, when she helped her South Essex club to the British Teams title. She was first reserve for the Junior European team that travelled to Paris in May of that year, and made her international debut at the Olympic Hopefuls competition in the Czech Republic. 2001 saw Nicola in Pennsylvania, USA for the increasingly high-quality Pottsville Friendship Classic. She placed 2nd on floor, a feat she repeated a few months later in an international match against Olympic champions Romania. This comp proved something of a coming out party for the then 16-year-old who was called up at the last minute when Holly Murdock withdrew to concentrate on her 'AS' levels. Nicola herself was in the middle of GCSE exams, but wowed the crowd with a difficult and entertaining floor routine that was bettered only by Andreea Raducan. At the 2001 British Championships, Willis placed 4th AA and won her speciality piece. She insists she was surprised to be selected for the World Championships in Ghent where she contributed greatly to the team's record 9th place finish. Since then, Nic has competed at various Grand Prix events and made several finals. She won bronze madals all-around at this year's English and British championships and fulfilled a long-standing ambition to make the Commonwealth Games team. In Manchester, Nicola introduced herself to the wider British public by performing well under extreme pressure when, as England's final competitor in the last rotation, she had to hit her beam routine in order for the team to retain the silver medal. Until recently, Nic had been seen as a rather inconsistent gymnast with a a suspect temperament, but she proved her doubters wrong with that nerveless performance on the piece she likes least. Her favourite event - for those who haven't guessed - is floor, where her trademark skill is a reliable double layout (double straight) opener.
Nicola is now based full-time at Lilleshall National Sports Centre where she lives with other senior national team gymnasts. She moved there in mid-2001 from her home near Southend. Despite initial homesickness, she says she enjoys life up in Shropshire countryside. In her spare time, the 5-foot tall teenager enjoys reading, shopping and R'n'B music. When her gym career is over, Nic says she hopes to become a teacher.
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