Artistic Gymnastics Physical Culture Close Tokyo 2020 - Vanessa Ferrari and the countdown: “My dream? A medal for the Olympics ". Return to the race in a month

Vanessa Ferrari is officially ready to return to the race: the appointment will be in Melbourne (Australia) where a stage of the artistic gymnastics World Cup will be staged on the weekend of 20-23 February. The Brescian is participating in this international circuit with the aim of winning the qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, a pass for gear is up for grabs and our bearer is in full fight against the free body where a head to head with Lara Mori is taking place . The 29-year-old has not competed since last March because then she operated on her feet, she had to get back on the platform in November but skipped the Cottbus appointment because she discovered that she had Hashimoto syndrome (an autoimmune thyroid disease).

Now, however, the countdown has officially started and it is the gymnast herself who talks about it with an article written for her new personal website. The dream? He declares it openly: a medal at the Olympics? After the bitter fourth places at the free body of London 2012 and Rio 2016 it would be the best way to end a truly screaming career that has made the history of this sport in our latitudes, seasoned by the all-around world title in 2006 and by a infinity of successes in any context.

Artistic Gymnastics Physical Culture Close Tokyo 2020

The last period was far from simple, after the Achilles tendon ruptured in the final of the 2017 Montreal World Championships, I had to face a long period of rehabilitation that kept me away from the platform. I didn't know if I would be able to get back in, but despite the blow I suffered, I went back to the gym and day after day I worked on my return.

Melbourne February 2019, after 503 days I return to the platform in a stage of the World Cup, valid for the Olympic qualification in Tokyo 2020, and it is now a Gold Medal!

After a month, two more races on this route and I manage to get two more medals, concluding the first phase with three medals in 3 competitions. However, despite the successes, I did not feel at the top and here, at the end of March 2019, the decision to operate again to resolve some discomfort to both feet and consequently again forced to "pit".

According to the plans I should have returned last November, after yet another nerve-wracking rehabilitation period, I prepared myself for that appointment but less than a month after the race I started to experience sudden physical problems including tiredness, a strain on the calf and inflammation of the knee tendons. I couldn't believe it after everything I had done, once again my goal was moving away. I do an endless series of tests from which it emerges that for some time I have an autoimmune thyroid disease "hashimoto thyroiditis" and a form of asthma, all problems that are destructive for an athlete! So my chance to return to the race is gone.

I immediately begin the therapies to solve this series of problems and point to the next race of the course… Melbourne again! The appointment is fast approaching and the race is less than a month away, I am continuously working to conquer My personal pass towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, to do this I have to win the World Cup course, only in this way will I be able to pursue my dream.