Alice Kinsella makes historic return to elite gymnastics at senior international meet
Two-time European champion Alice Kinsella will compete for Team GB at a senior international competition in Stoke, marking the first elite comeback by a British gymnast after childbirth.
Alice Kinsella, a two-time European champion, will represent Team GB at a senior team competition in Stoke, facing France, Switzerland, Germany and Italy on 12-13 September. After finishing fourth on beam at the British Championships earlier this year, she is now attempting routines on balance beam, uneven bars, vault and floor for the first time since becoming a mother. Kinsella, who trains at Park Wrekin Gymnastics Club in Shropshire, described the comeback as "surreal" and highlighted the physical and mental adjustments required postpartum.
Her journey has been the subject of a university research paper on elite athletes returning after childbirth. Looking ahead, she hopes the meet will help her aim for the 2027 World Championships in China and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Why it matters
Kinsella's comeback shows that elite gymnastics can accommodate motherhood, challenging long-standing assumptions about the sport.
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