Still four months shy of her 14th birthday, Lucia Jakab is already on Gymnastics Canada鈥檚 radar for the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo.

A member of the Okanagan Gymnastics Centre, Lucia was named last month to the Canadian national junior team, the top developmental program for the sport鈥檚 up-and-coming athletes.

The 13-year-old from Lake Country recently returned from Sarnia, Ont., where she and eight other young artistic gymnasts spent a week training together at the 2020 Olympic Hopefuls camp.

鈥淲e tried to learn new skills and we showed our abilties to other coaches,鈥� Lucia said. 鈥淚t was good to get a different point of view from other coaches.鈥�

Lucia took up recreational gymnastics at OGC in 琉璃神社 at the age of eight, then began competing two years later. According to her mom, Tatiana Jakab, Lucia has been a quick study in her chosen sport.

鈥淪he grew into it very fast,鈥� Tatiana Jakab said of Lucia鈥檚 abilities in the gym. 鈥淥riginally, she didn鈥檛 enjoy the competition that much, she鈥檚 still adjusting but it鈥檚 getting better. Last year was her first year competing internationally, so she鈥檚 still finding her way.鈥�

Lucia made her breakthrough on the international stage this spring, placing seventh out of 20 competitors at Gymnix in Montreal.

Then in May, at the Canadian Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Montreal, Gymnastics Canada really stood up and took notice when Lucia won a silver medal in the vault.

Weeks later, she had a spot on the national team.

鈥淚 was kind of speechless,鈥� said Lucia, who is coached locally by Sergei Chelest. 鈥淚t felt great to be picked for the team.鈥�

As for the prospects of one day competing for Canada at the Olympic Games, it鈥檚 an enticing thought for Lucia but not one plans to focus on in the near future.

鈥淚 think about it a little bit,鈥� Lucia said, 鈥渂ut right now my first goal is to keep competing, keep improving and get a scholarship.鈥�