Aliya Mustafina puts her comeback on hold after Stuttgart World Cup Incident
World Gymnastics Champion, Aliya Mustafina’s passion for the games led her to the wrong conclusion about the torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) she caused herself in April this year. Apparently the injury has not healed yet.
The Russian athlete tore the ACL during the European Championships, all-round competition. She had an awkward landing while performing the vault. A surgery was on the cards, as Mustafina was wheeled out of the arena.
Russia had to go in for the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in October without the girl who had brought the first all-round gold, along with four other medals to the country, since 2003.
The blow was magnified by the fact that the Worlds doubled as Olympic qualifiers for London 2012.
Mustafina made a failed attempt at a comeback this week at the Stuttgart World Cup that was held on November 12 and 13, at the DTB Pokal, Germany.
Her comeback was not heavily publicized and she was scheduled to participate only in the team segment of the meet. Maria Paseka and Alyona Polyan were her teammates.
It was planned that she would perform on the bars and beam, but unfortunately, she could not make it past the warm-up session. The injured left knee protested the exercise, as it pained and swelled up.
Before leaving for Stuttgart, Mustafina was also scheduled to compete at the Abierto Mexicano de Gimnasia, in Acapulco, Mexico in December this year. The current situation, however, has left the status of that decision swaying.
The 17-year-old is anything but disillusioned and is all geared up to get back on the horse. In an interview with a German correspondent she showed strong resolve about rebuilding her career as soon as the injury heals completely.
She went as far as to say that once back, she will master the 2.5-twisting Yurchenko that was responsible for the tear in the first place.
With a bronze Olympic medalist for a father and a silver medalist junior gymnast for a sister, Mustafina has athletics running in her blood.
Her career took off in 2007, with her first appearance on the international gymnastics horizon as part of the junior national team of Russia.
Over the years, she has participated in the World Championships (Rotterdam, 2010), European Championships (Birmingham, 2010), World Cups (Paris, 2011 and Jacksonville 2011) and Japan Cup (Tokyo, 2010 and Chiba, 2009).
Her medal record from afore-mentioned competitions boasts of seven gold medals, nine silver medals and one bronze medal.
The injury has not clouded her vision or shrouded her dream of earning the Olympic gold.
Sadly, the ACL forced her to withdraw from the Stuttgart World Cup, but in the long run, her fans hope that the move will fix the injury that seven months of healing period could not.
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