Daria Atamanov and her difficult path to Olympics
European Championship 2022 was unexpected. 1,5 months before, Daria broke her leg (second one, not one before World Championships).
When Daria returned from a competition in Baku where she competed with a fracture, she told her parents that her leg hurt. They suggested that she have an X-ray, but at first she refused, saying that everything was fine, that she needs to prepare for European Championship. In the end, her father insisted on it, and when she was x-rayed, Daria didn't want this: «I dont have time».
She spent 3 weeks in cast, working sitting. Then another 3 weeks were left for full training.
During warm-up at 2022 World Championships, Daria felt pain in her leg. At the time she thought it would be fine, that it was just stress. However, when they started doing exercises, she jumped and heard a click in her leg. When she landed, she realized she couldn't stand on that leg.
She finished exercise because she felt that as an athlete she could not show weakness. She wanted to continue competing because it's World Championships. Team decided to try to give her painkillers, but pain was too much. She picked up hoop and tried to throw it, but failed. They tried everything, but it was impossible.
Daria was asked if she could erase it. With tears in her eyes, she said yes. She was pissed about it for a day or two.
Around February 2023, Daria broke her leg again in the same place. No one understood what was going on because everything was fine.
«There is no place here for such thing as: «Oh, this is second time, I give up». There are so many people here who have passed this path with me. I can't disappoint not only myself, but them too».
Daria later had her boot removed. However, 2 weeks before European Championships 2023, when she was doing a test training, stood in starting pose, at beginning of exercise was jump, and she again heard click in her leg. Exactly the same jump, exactly the same place.
Daria was in cast again and this time they tried different tactic. Before that she was in boot for 1,5 months, this time she was completely in cast and only after that was changed to boot - they continued work.
For 2 weeks she worked at home - little warm up and others.
At this point she was saying that maybe this sport wasn't for her, that universe was hinting to her. However, Ayelet said she's not giving up on her. That she is with her and that Daria will fly to Olympics.
The hardest part was spending 10 months in cast, watching others compete, progress, and cry.
Daria's return was slow. During this period, she had, for example, two days week to not put too much strain on her leg. On days like this, she just rested. She had three months to recover before World Championship and she did everything that depended on her.
At World Championships in Valencia, as she was getting ready to do hoop, she said to herself: «It's okay, if they won't shout too much, it's not because they don't like you, they don't know you, you haven't competed in a year». But Spanish fans shouted to everyone like they just love gymnastics.
For Daria, it was terrible WCh because of difficult year and the fact that she wasn't at her peak. She wasn't making all right moves, making mistakes. She was ready to give up and not participate in finals, because she had already received her Olympic ticket. But Ayelet told her to clear her head and go do it, show her magic to people. After each exercise, she turned to her parents who were in audience, said hello, and made hearts for them. And when Daria won bronze, she just didn't realize it, she didn't believe it could be.
Original
European Championship 2022 was unexpected. 1,5 months before, Daria broke her leg (second one, not one before World Championships).
When Daria returned from a competition in Baku where she competed with a fracture, she told her parents that her leg hurt. They suggested that she have an X-ray, but at first she refused, saying that everything was fine, that she needs to prepare for European Championship. In the end, her father insisted on it, and when she was x-rayed, Daria didn't want this: «I dont have time».
She spent 3 weeks in cast, working sitting. Then another 3 weeks were left for full training.
During warm-up at 2022 World Championships, Daria felt pain in her leg. At the time she thought it would be fine, that it was just stress. However, when they started doing exercises, she jumped and heard a click in her leg. When she landed, she realized she couldn't stand on that leg.
She finished exercise because she felt that as an athlete she could not show weakness. She wanted to continue competing because it's World Championships. Team decided to try to give her painkillers, but pain was too much. She picked up hoop and tried to throw it, but failed. They tried everything, but it was impossible.
Daria was asked if she could erase it. With tears in her eyes, she said yes. She was pissed about it for a day or two.
Around February 2023, Daria broke her leg again in the same place. No one understood what was going on because everything was fine.
«There is no place here for such thing as: «Oh, this is second time, I give up». There are so many people here who have passed this path with me. I can't disappoint not only myself, but them too».
Daria later had her boot removed. However, 2 weeks before European Championships 2023, when she was doing a test training, stood in starting pose, at beginning of exercise was jump, and she again heard click in her leg. Exactly the same jump, exactly the same place.
Daria was in cast again and this time they tried different tactic. Before that she was in boot for 1,5 months, this time she was completely in cast and only after that was changed to boot - they continued work.
For 2 weeks she worked at home - little warm up and others.
At this point she was saying that maybe this sport wasn't for her, that universe was hinting to her. However, Ayelet said she's not giving up on her. That she is with her and that Daria will fly to Olympics.
The hardest part was spending 10 months in cast, watching others compete, progress, and cry.
Daria's return was slow. During this period, she had, for example, two days week to not put too much strain on her leg. On days like this, she just rested. She had three months to recover before World Championship and she did everything that depended on her.
At World Championships in Valencia, as she was getting ready to do hoop, she said to herself: «It's okay, if they won't shout too much, it's not because they don't like you, they don't know you, you haven't competed in a year». But Spanish fans shouted to everyone like they just love gymnastics.
For Daria, it was terrible WCh because of difficult year and the fact that she wasn't at her peak. She wasn't making all right moves, making mistakes. She was ready to give up and not participate in finals, because she had already received her Olympic ticket. But Ayelet told her to clear her head and go do it, show her magic to people. After each exercise, she turned to her parents who were in audience, said hello, and made hearts for them. And when Daria won bronze, she just didn't realize it, she didn't believe it could be.
Original