A year ago, Alice Kinsella did not want to do gymnastics anymore.
When she started treatment for acne, the Olympic bronze medallist did not think it might leave her on the verge of quitting her sport.
The 23-year-old, who helped Great Britain to a surprise women’s team bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2021, said she went on the contraceptive pill to help her skin condition but ended up developing anxiety and depression last year.
“I was so close to retiring,” she told BBC Sport.
“I couldn’t train properly, couldn’t go for anything. Especially on bars, skills I’ve been going for like since I was 10 I couldn’t even go for those
“My mind would be, ‘OK, you’re going to do it’. And then my body would stop and then I would just be in hysterics because it would just be so stressful.”
She came off the pill and now says she is in a “really good place” as she seeks to add to her five European Championships medals this week.
She lines up alongside a resurgent Becky Downie, Ruby Evans, Georgia Mae-Fenton and debutant Abigail Martin as GB seek to defend their continental team title in Rimini, Italy, and you can watch some of the action on the BBC.
British all-around champion Ondine Achampong has withdrawn as a precautionary measure.
‘Mum looking after medal for me’
Kinsella has thought a lot about her Olympic medal this year – although her mum is looking after it “just to be safe” as she does not trust herself.
She is relishing the chance to win another at this summer’s Paris Games, which hopes will be a better Olympic experience than in Tokyo.
Not only was the GB success in front of empty seats because of Covid restrictions but she had competed through the “severe” pain of tearing ankle ligaments.
“Nothing can be worse than Tokyo,” she said.
Kinsella missed last month’s British Championships with an injury picked up just before them but will be hoping to cement her place in the team with some good performances in Italy.
Great Britain will name their Olympic team in June.
It is unlikely to feature injured twins Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova, who were part of the medal-winning team last time, but could still include Amelie Morgan, who has returned to the elite fold this year after heading to the United States for college gymnastics and study. Morgan is a reserve in Rimini.
‘We made a difference’ – Downie proud legacy will last
Becky Downie, who was controversially not selected for the Tokyo Games, says she had thought she would be retired by now but a “belief deep down” that she could achieve an Olympic medal on the uneven bars has kept her in the sport.
A silver medal on the apparatus at last year’s European championships gave her extra confidence and, with an even more difficult routine now, she is hopeful of yet more success.
Although, give her the choice between a gymnastics medal and her MBE, she would pick the latter every time.
She and her sister Ellie were given the award earlier this year after speaking publicly about abuse in their sport before a review that led to reform in gymnastics.
“To leave that kind of legacy… people forget about the medals but I’m hoping that in five, 10, 20 years’ time, we’re going to look back at this time and be like ‘we actually did, that we made a difference. We made an impact,'” she said.
How can I watch the European Gymnastics Championships on the BBC?
All times BST. Coverage can be subject to late schedule changes, so details may differ from this page.
Women’s European Championships (2-5 May) – BBC Sport website and app
Saturday, 4 May – 15:15-18:40: apparatus finals
Sunday, 5 May – 14:30-17:00: team final
