It’s not the first time that Eythora Thorsdottir is taking part in the World Gymnastics Championships that start today. However, this time it feels different. At the start of the tournament in Liverpool there is a “new” gymnast who is working on the next chapter.

More than a year ago, Thorsdottir took part in her last international competition: the Tokyo Olympics. Now a comeback awaits on the world stage. “It’s exciting, but I’m excited to see how it feels to be back,” said the 24-year-old athlete. “Even with my new coach.”

holy fire

They were eventful years. Patrick Kiens, with whom Thorsdottir has worked for most of her career, was one of the gymnastics coaches accused of misconduct.

Although she hadn’t had a bad experience with him herself, she couldn’t continue with him after Kiens left the Netherlands. Due to the loss of her coach, among other things, Thorsdottir doubted for a while that she would continue her gymnastics career.

As the sacred fire began to burn again, Thorsdottir began training with a group of male colleagues led by coach Kevin den Uijl. It helped her rediscover the joy of sport and made her better too.

Less cops, more Arabs

“I’ve moved more towards men’s technique,” notes Thorsdottir, who has made some rigorous changes to her floor exercise – her greatest asset. “I removed all the flikflakes. While I got away with it, it wasn’t always technical for me.”

“We noticed that I could play more with my Arabian (a movement comparable to a cartwheel that ends with two feet on the ground at the same time, editor’s note). Just like the men start screwing. Just a different perspective that makes it more stable.”

Two weeks ago we reported on the second Dutch qualifier for the World Cup. Thorsdottir talked about her comeback and her new exercise.

She put together her brand new floor exercise a few months ago with a view to the war in Ukraine. Thorsdottir describes the exercise as “dramatic, with a touch of hope”.

The whole thing also says something about yourself. “If I refer to myself, then there is the course of my career,” says Thorsdottir. “There is a certain charge in every movement. And it ends with the hope that I’m actually back.”

Back to the old level

Gradually, the top form is in sight. “It feels like going back to the level of Rio 2016, my first Olympics,” said Thorsdottir, who finished ninth in the all-around final at that tournament.

“A lot has happened in the meantime. Because of injuries and the circumstances surrounding gymnastics, I’ve always been unable to be in the zone that’s all about gymnastics. Now it feels like calm has settled down and you can see her coming out easier.”