Norway’s Julie Roettum Madsoe: ‘I have more confidence in me and my skills’

Winner of the all-around gold at the Nordic Championships earlier this month, Norwegian gymnast Julie Roettum Madsoe is ready to take on the continent and then the world at larger-scale competitions next month and in autumn.

Roettum Madsoe placed first all-around at the Nordics held July 2-3 in Kopavogur, Iceland, where her winning performance followed her impressive results in the prior months. She was fifth on balance beam at the Challenge Cup of Varna in May, fourth on balance beam at the Challenge Cup of Osijek in June and first all-around at the Norwegian Championships also in June.

Born August 20, 2004, in Baerum, Roettum Madsoe trains at Oslo Turnforening, where her coaches are Antonio Egri (vault, uneven bars and floor exercise) and Joanna Uracz (balance beam, dance elements and choreography on floor exercise). She is scheduled to begin competing for the University of Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania, U.S., in 2024. While at the university Roettum Madsoe intends to continue her international career, as well.

Roettum Madsoe, who is now preparing for next month’s European Championships in Munich and this autumn’s World Championships in Liverpool, shares her thoughts in this International Gymnast Online interview.

IGO: How realistic did you feel a medal of any kind would be at the Nordic Championships?

JRM: Going into the competition, I knew that a medal in the all-around was realistic as long as I did my job properly. My performance did not have to be “perfect,” but I could not afford any major mistakes. Luckily, everything went well.

IGO: Based on your performances at Nordics, what improvements do you plan on making before the European Championships next month?

JRM: Before the European Championships, I mainly focus on improving my E(execution)-score in all of the apparatus. I did an easier routine on beam at the Nordic Championships in order to save my legs a bit before the Europeans. Hopefully, I will compete a double tuck dismount on beam, as I did in Osijek, upgrade my dismount on bars and make some changes in floor, as well.

IGO: You had two top-five finishes on beam at Challenge Cups this spring. Has beam always been your strongest event, or is there another reason that contributed to your recent strong performances on it?

JRM: At the Challenge Cup in Varna, both I and my coach were a bit shocked because beam used to be my weakest event. Usually, I found it quite nerve-wracking to compete this event. However, now that I have gained experience through competing more internationally, I have more confidence in me and my skills. I have also matured more mentally, which makes it easier and more fun to compete. 

IGO: What are your goals for Europeans, and what specifically in terms of your routines will you need to achieve them?

JRM: My main goal for the European Championships is to secure my place in the all-around for the World Championships in Liverpool. It is my first Europeans, so I want to see where I will place in the all-around, even though it is not an all-around competition this year. 

IGO: Norway finished 21st out of 26 teams at the 2018 Europeans in Glasgow, the last Europeans in which Norway competed in the team event. In which ways has your team improved since then, and to what do you attribute your team’s current situation?

JRM: Our results at the Europeans in 2018 were not very good. Since then, we have made many improvements in our training and our mindset, which has resulted in better results internationally. Now, we do more difficult skills with less deduction, and we compete with more confidence than before. It would be nice for our team to place in the top 13. It is a big step from the last time Norway competed in the team event, but placing in the top 13 would allow us to get to send a team to the World Championships later this year. I will contribute to our team in all four apparatus, so it is important for me to do a good job, as well as to create a positive and supporting atmosphere in our team.

International Gymnast Online’s other recent coverage of Norwegian gymnasts includes:

Norway sweeps all-around titles, Sweden wins senior team golds at Nordic Championships

Norway’s Heggemsnes on Tokyo 2020: ‘The Emotion Took Me’