Namita Nayyar:
While performing Equestrian vaulting where choreographing routines is an art form, it’s about finding a balance between showcasing strengths and creating a captivating performance. Elaborate?
Ilona Hannich:
Vaulting is a unique combination of harmony with the horse, showing difficult acrobatic skills and creating a captivating story and choreography with music. It’s important to develop an artistic concept that the spectators understand. For me, I always chose music and choreographies I felt passionate about. For me, connecting to the spectators and being able to create a unique atmosphere while at the same time performing skills and creating unity with the horse is just such a fascinating and rewarding feeling in vaulting.
Namita Nayyar:
At 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games you stood 9th in the individual event that was held from 11th to 23rd September 2018 at Tryon NC USA, how this event in your equestrian vaulting journey act as a catalyst in your metriotic rise as a leading equestrian vaulting athlete?
Ilona Hannich:
Already one year before, I had a big catalyst in my career as I qualified for the World Cup season in the winter of 2017/2018. This was a big milestone for me. Only a small group of athletes qualified for this World Cup series and therefore I was in a bigger spotlight. The qualification for the World Equestrian Games in Tryon 2018 was then a big achievement for me. With this, a big dream came true. Placing in the top 10 was a good result and confirmed that I was on the right way. But there was still a lot of work to do, and when I look back now, I see that from there, I have grown a lot – skill-wise but also mentally.
Namita Nayyar:
Year 2023 was a dream year for you, while competing for Switzerland you participated in 2023 Continental/Regional Championships held on 24th July to 30th July 2023 at Flyinge Sweden. You won an impressive five medals (Three Silver and Two Bronze). You showed exceptional outstanding performance in various categories, including Team, Individual, and Pas-de-Deux. Tell us your experience at this European event of Equestrian vaulting and what you learned to move further in your sporting career.
Ilona Hannich:
Well, the European Championship 2023 was just unbelievable. Winning so many medals was overwhelming and I am still so thankful and proud I could experience this. I came from a very difficult place and had some major setbacks in the months before this championship, but I didn’t give up and I believed in me and my surroundings.
The Championship itself was thrilling, and I managed to keep my mental focus over all the different events and show confident and calm rounds. I could show that I am able to perform in different settings, with different horses and in different categories – and that I am very, very passionate about all of them. It never happened before in vaulting, that an athlete won so many medals in one championship. It’s still somewhat unbelievable.
Namita Nayyar:
You have coaches like Alana, Barbara, Moni and Lisa who have been a catalyst who helped you pave the way to rise in your career with discipline and a never stopping attitude. Elaborate about their influence on your professional sporting life?
Ilona Hannich:
All those coaches had a big influence on me. They have been not only coaches, but also became family. They saw me in so many different situations, when I was doing bad and experienced hard times, but also when I was striving and doing well. All of them had a different way of approaching the trainings and the sport, and so I got the chance to profit from a broad range of feedback.
I am very thankful that my coaches invested so much of their free time in this sport, from the trainings and the countless hours of work with the horses to all the competitions. I don’t take this for granted, as in vaulting, we don’t earn money from the sport and so, everything is bound to just working for free and doing things in your free time.
Namita Nayyar:
What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you may wish to share?
Ilona Hannich:
In vaulting, the exercise regime is similar to gymnastics. We do a lot of bodyweight and drilling exercises. A big part of my training was core work and handstands. Also, we train hours over hours on electrical simulators/moving barrels – they simulate the horse’s movement, so we can practice our skills a hundred times there before doing it on the horse.
Our horses only do vaulting trainings twice a week and have their own training schedule next to it with a lot of riding, ground work and so on. So, the biggest time of my training is not on horseback, but on the moving barrel, on the floor or in the gym. Also, I take dance lessons to work on my expression and artistic skills. We need a lot of different characteristics, so the training schedule is quite diverse.
Namita Nayyar:
How do you train your abs? One secret to your toned body.
Ilona Hannich:
One basic skill for my abs is the hollow body hold where I lie on my back, I try to keep my back flat on the floor while lifting my legs and arms only a little bit off the floor. Also, exercises like V-ups, planks or L-sits are in my core routine. We need our core all the time in every single exercise. It’s the part of the body that keeps everything else connected and gives a lot of stability and control on the moving surface.
Namita Nayyar:
Do you take a special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit?
Ilona Hannich:
I am vegetarian, but besides that don’t have a fixed diet. I eat very healthy because I just like healthy food. I try to incorporate the basic components like carbs, vegetables and protein for every meal, but also I think it’s good to just learn to listen to what your body needs and be relaxed about food.
Namita Nayyar:
Five foods you absolutely love and five you keep to a minimum.
Ilona Hannich:
I love all vegetables, bananas, pasta, salad and cheese (of course, I’m Swiss). I also love chocolate but try not to over-indulge in it, I think for me this gets addictive quite fast. Also, I keep alcohol to a minimum, especially in times of hard training and some months before big competitions I don’t drink at all. Other foods I don’t actively keep to a minimum, but I don’t often eat deep fried things.
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