Skipping is no child's play for chiro student
In the world of competitive skipping, CQUniversity Master of Clinical Chiropractic student Jessica Poon is jumping to new heights, breaking records, and pushing boundaries.
The seasoned speed skipper recently competed at the 2023 International Jump Rope Union (IJRU) World Championships in the United States where she placed in three separate skipping events.
Representing Australia, Brisbane-based Jessica received 2nd place in the 2x30sec Female Double Under Relay and Team Show, and 3rd in the International Open Tournament Female Consecutive Triple Unders.
“Jump rope, or rope skipping, is such an exciting and entertaining sport that involves athleticism, creativity and heaps of fun,” Jessica explained.
“It is a highly competitive team and individual sport in Australia and worldwide.
“Speed skipping involves jumping as fast as you can for a short (30 seconds) or long (3 mins) duration of time, while freestyle allows athletes to showcase their creativity through routines set to music, incorporating gymnastics and rope skills.
“With freestyle, you get to be really creative and inventive. Our routines consist of crazy multiple unders, flips, power skills, and intricate rope manipulations like throwing and catching the rope, or wrapping the rope around yourself.
Jessica is also a multiple-time and current Australian Record for the female double under relay.
“I started in Grade 4 at my local PCYC where I was coached by a world champion. I immediately fell in love with the sport and then progressed to skipping competitively,” Jessica.
“I have been competing at state, national and world levels ever since.”
Having been involved in the sport for more than 13 years, Jessica explained that her experiences as a professional athlete influenced her decision to study a Master of Clinical Chiropractic.
“Throughout my schooling years, I always knew I wanted to work in the health field.
“After having multiple injuries and niggles throughout my sporting career, I found chiropractic to be a massive help in healing, injury prevention and improving performance,” she said.
“From there I decided I wanted to help others experience the same results, and empower them to live the healthiest lives possible.”
Transcript
[inaudible commentator, clock starting and audience applause]
She emphasised the dedication required to balance the training demands of this unique sport with her studies, acknowledging the support she has received from CQUniversity.
“By studying at the CQU Brisbane campus, it has allowed me to concurrently work on my two passions – chiropractic study and jump rope.
“The chiropractic program and staff are very supportive of my constant training and competing, as well as being flexible with online classes,” Jessica said.
“Training for speed skipping requires dedication, with sessions spanning two to four hours, focusing on speed, freestyle, and strength training. Leading up to a competition it can be up to six sessions per week.
"It's definitely tricky balancing training with my study and personal life, so I like to stay as organised as possible, by keeping many, many lists and a good schedule to stay on track.”
“After graduation, Jessica said aspires to work full-time as a chiropractor while sharing her passion for skipping with the community.
“As a chiropractor, I hope to help people achieve their best health outcomes but will also maintain my training. My next big event will be the 2025 IJRU World Championships in Japan.
“I love being able to promote the sport and share skipping with younger kids and adults – it's never too late to start.”
