Algonquin gymnast, 53, heads to third consecutive world adult competition

Despite suffering multiple injuries from previous competitions, 53-year-old Algonquin resident Alison Wright will compete in an international adult gymnastics competition.

Wright will be one of two competitors representing the 50-59 age group for Team USA. Gymnasts aged 30 to 70 from around the world, including Japan, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy and Canada, will compete May 28 to June 1 in Leipzig, Germany. The event, called Turnfest, expects to draw in 80,000 people, she said. Wright will compete in the balance beam event for Team USA.

“It seems kind of insane and exciting at the same time,” she said.

Last year, Wright was on Team USA at the World Cup, hosted in Boston, where they went home with the gold medal. She competed for the Amateur Athletic Union Central District Championships earlier this month in Romeoville where she placed first in the beam, bars, floor and all-around events.

Wright practiced the sport from ages 3 to 19 before “retiring” before college. She picked it back up about three years ago and quickly advanced through national Amateur Athletic Union competitions before being invited to represent Team USA in Germany in 2023. Wright took home a silver medal at that event.

In the first competition she did a few years ago, Wright said she was the only adult. Now, she sees over a dozen adults competing as it consistently grows bigger every year, and she marveled at its growth.

“It’s cool that we all have the one thing in common which is that we all love the sport, regardless of how old we are or what skill we’re at,” she said.

Wright still faces challenges recovering from her injuries. She tore all the ligaments in both of her ankles in 2022 during a tumbling accident that left her in a wheelchair for a few months. Last year, she suffered a knee injury, and this year is dealing with a partial hamstring tear.

The hamstring injury caused her to drop out of the vault event, because running puts too much strain on her body, Wright said. Regardless, she pushed through the pain and performed with the partial hamstring tear at the national competition. Her ankles continue to bother her, which feels like she’s “putting band-aids on things,” Wright said.

“Each year gets harder, but honestly I’m loving every minute of it,” she said. “I’m just trying to take advantage of the opportunity while I have it.”

There’s no rest for Wright after the international games in Germany, as she plans to participate in back-to-back competitions at the national level next month in Waukegan.

“As long as I can walk, I can find a way to do” gymnastics, she said. “It’s just too much fun to give up at this point, so I’ve got to keep going.”

Wright regularly trains at Royalty Gymnastics, Tumble and Dance in Huntley. Owner Edmar Nicolas said Wright is the reason he started the adult program, and things took off from there. He said she is like a celebrity at the gym.

“I have my gymnasts look up to her,” Nicolas said. “If she can still do it, so can anyone.”