Emma Slevin is glad she took the risk. Last summer, the Galway gymnast turned down a Master's at UCD. Instead, she packed her bags for the United States.

The 23-year-old made the call at the last minute. She had planned to stay in Ireland. But something told her to try America instead.

"I was just hoping there were still spots," Slevin said. She flew over in July to look at a few colleges. Within a month, she had picked one.

She chose the University of Minnesota. And she hasn't looked back since.

The move wasn't easy. Taking a leap into the unknown rarely is. But Slevin is no stranger to bold choices.

At just 13, she walked away from Gaelic football and camogie. That was a big deal in her GAA-mad household. Her twin sister Kate even won a League and FAI Cup double with Athlone Town last season.

But Emma chose gymnastics. And that single-minded focus is paying off now more than ever.

The former Youth Olympian says the year in Minnesota changed everything.

"I've always been good at bars, but one thing I struggled with before going there was confidence," she said. "That's what changed."

Competing every week made the difference. If she made a mistake, she only had to wait five days to try again. That kind of routine simply didn't exist back home.

"The potential was always there," she explained. "But that little change in confidence made a huge difference."

A Historic Season With the Golden Gophers

Slevin's first year in the US was a big one. Minnesota started the season ranked 13th. Nobody expected much from them.

But the Golden Gophers went on a stunning run. They reached the NCAA "Four on the Floor", which is the collegiate grand final. Along the way, they stunned fourth seeds UCLA, a team that had beaten them twice earlier in the year.

Oklahoma Sooners took the big prize in the end. But for Minnesota, just being there was huge.

"It was a very historic moment for NCAA gymnastics and for Minnesota," Slevin said. "We talked about it all year. Our goal was to go to nationals."

On an individual level, Slevin shone on the uneven bars. She was a regular pick for her team in that event. In March, she landed the Big Ten Conference title with a near-perfect 9.95.

The internal competition pushed her hard. "There are 15 people fighting for six spots in an event," she said. "It pushes you to be the best you can."

Now her focus turns home. The Gymnastics Ireland National Championships in Abbotstown are this weekend. Then come the European Championships in August and the World Championships in October.

After that? Her eyes are firmly on LA 2028.

"I'm definitely stronger than I was in previous years," she said. "European finals and world finals are definitely achievable."

Read more at the Gymnastics Digest!

Written by

Sahil Prashar

Edited by

Sahil Prashar