Previously unpublished: Dan’s thoughts on Louis Smith on Strictly

We’ve been looking back at what Dan told the Northamptonshire Telegraph in December, before it was published in the New Year.

He certainly had a hunch that Louis Smith would do well on Strictly Come Dancing! Here’s what he told the Northamptonshire Telegraph:

"Louis is good! He’s always been good at dancing – I know that because I’ve grown up with him. He’s doing really well. It’s great news for gymnastics too, as it wasn’t recognised years ago but now Louis is being rewarded. 

"I’m not sure that I would go on Strictly myself, I wouldn’t do as well as Louis!"
Check back in a few weeks for new Q&As from Dan’s interview.

In the meantime, you can look forward to Dan’s video blog for Opus Energy Challenge next week, when he’ll report on the English Championships, which are being held this weekend. Good luck Dan!

Previously unpublished: the interview, part 1

Following Dan’s interview with the Northamptonshire Telegraph, published in the New Year, we thought we’d take a look at some of the other answers from Dan on the day. The first instalment is below:

Northamptonshire Telegraph: 2012 was a mixed year for you, how did you keep yourself motivated?

Daniel Keatings: Obviously it was very disappointing to not be picked for the Olympics as competing in your own country is everything you dream of. That said, there were a lot of positives as my team showed its strength and there’s a huge sporting legacy for gymnastics to carry on succeeding.

Check back every couple of weeks for new Q&As from Dan’s interview!

Dan’s interview about Opus Energy's sponsorship

You may remember that Dan was interviewed by the Northampton Evening Telegraph last month – there’s a photo from the day on this Opus Energy blog. The interview has now been published! If you didn’t pick up a copy of the paper yourself yesterday, you can read it below:

Opus Energy’s sponsorship of Dan

Dan was interviewed today about the next 12 months of his sponsorship with Opus Energy. Speaking to the Northamptonshire Telegraph he said:

“It’s vital for an athlete to have sponsorship so that they can fulfil their potential. Opus Energy has supported me since 2009. In that year I was ranked as the 2^nd best in the world, and in 2010 I won the European Championships. But Opus Energy has not only been there through the good times; they were also there during my injuries. 

"It was a good boost to know that Opus Energy would be supporting me for the next 12 months as I was worried beforehand. Hopefully I can get back to the gym and get more good results.”

Here’s a photograph of Dan with Jon Dunham, Sports Reporter at the Northamptonshire Telegraph (left) and Andy Nash, Operations Director at Opus Energy (right):

Keep an eye on the Northamptonshire Telegraph website to read the interview - we expect it to be published over Christmas!