Alexa Moreno: "I'm going to allow myself to live in this moment"
Returning to gymnastics after pondering retirement following Tokyo 2020, this time, Mexico's first female World medallist enjoys every moment.
Artistic Gymnastics
Alexa Moreno has been enjoying every moment at the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp.
It feels sooooooo good to be back.
The Mexican history-maker is walking around with a big smile these days, despite just missing out on another medal on Saturday (7 October).
After her 18th-place finish in the all-around, Moreno spoke with Olympics.com about her comeback and everything attached to it.
The 29-year-old became the first woman from her country to medal at a Gymnastics World Championships when she won bronze on vault at the 2018 edition in Doha.
That medal secured Moreno's role in the emergence of Mexico's women's gymnastics on the global stage.
Prior to that ground-breaking medal, Moreno represented Mexico at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, making second reserve for the all-around final; post the history-making World gong, at Tokyo 2020, Moreno just missed out on the podium in the vault final, coming in fourth.
Moreno was then done. Gymnastics life completed.
Until it wasn't.
Alex Moreno's gymnastics return
By March 2023, Moreno was back for more, the reason, the purest of all.
"Well, mainly, I love doing gymnastics," she told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview. "I had several surgeries, and then I wasn't very sure (about coming back), but last year I went to Liverpool to see the World Championships and I was very excited. I said, 'Wow, it would be very cool to be back there and live that experience again!' So, I decided to come back to have the experience one more time and here I am."
Moreno wasn't the only one making a return to the international arena in Belgium.
One Simone Biles also made her re-entry into World gymnastics after a period of reflection away from the sport. The American returned with a bang, competing the sensationally difficult Yurchenko double pike, or Biles II if you will.
The pair were on the podium together when Moreno won her World vault medal and went head-to-head again in Antwerp with Biles clinching silver and Moreno finishing in fourth.
But for both, just being back on the world stage is a joy.
Alexa Moreno on comeback
At her first international competition back, the 2023 Pan American Gymnastics Championships in Medellín, Colombia in which she won vault gold, Moreno felt "a completely different emotion".
"I lived it differently. At least mentally, I'm a completely different person. I have grown over time, and I allow myself to enjoy those moments more and not be so pressured.
"In this World Championship the same thing happened to me. At first, I was a little nervous, but then I said to myself, 'I'm back to this. I'm going to allow myself to live in this moment, live in the experience, and take everything I can from it because it all happens so quickly'.
"There are so many lights, the people are so involved in the sport, they cheer on all the gymnasts... It makes the whole thing a real show and makes you feel in a special way".
No wonder gymnasts can't stay away.