After winning bronze on beam at the 2017 World Championships, Alt experienced a string of injuries. This winter, she was recovering from shoulder surgery and hoped to come back for the 2019 Worlds. However, she is not setting any specific competition goals now and focuses on her health first and foremost. An interview about her recovery was published on Trainersuchportal.de.
Translation from German by Emma Bateman.
With numerous junior national titles, Tabea Alt was a member of the German Olympic team in Rio at just 16 years old, then went on to win the World Cup series and a bronze medal on the balance beam at the world championships in Montreal a year later. Since then, it has been one injury after another for Tabea. But she isn’t giving up. Dr. Peter Unmüßig, from the Kontakt Foundation met up with Tabea Alt in Stuttgart and chatted to her about her health, her support system in difficult times, and her motivation.
Q: How are you? How are you feeling at the moment?
A: Overall, I’m feeling good. Of course, the situation is difficult because I’m not fully immersed in the sport and am currently going through yet another setback, so my main focuses are therapy and my health. But I have been satisfied with how therapy is going so far
Q: In your spare time, what hobbies do you enjoy?
A: The sport does take up most of my time. So there’s not too much room for other things like spending time with family and friends, as well as reading and listening to music. It’s nice to enjoy some spare time now and then, and now that I’m burnt out from injuries and can’t do gymnastics, I’ve finally realised that going dancing with a friend is great, or even just going for a coffee together. I really enjoy spending time chatting with friends!
Q: Do you have any pets?
A: Yes, I have a dog. It’s a golden retriever. Her name is Luna and she also takes up some of my free time. It’s so much fun to spend time outdoors in nature with her and my family. She is pretty old – she’s 12. She’s quite slow on her feet but she’s a good listener and makes me feel less alone when I’m down.
Q: How have you been able to manage to keep up with school/family/friends?
A: That’s only possible because my family supports me 100%. The only condition is that I still enjoy your sport, that I’m still passionate about it and it doesn’t become a chore to go to the gym. I couldn’t do the sport if I was just being pushed by my parents- that’s something all too common in gymnastics. Of course you need the support of your family, despite the fact that you don’t get as many vacations or do much in the evenings or on the weekends. My family has to put up with a lot and I’m incredibly grateful because something like this is only possible if you have a good system of balancing friends, family, and sport. It has also become clear to me that true friends are hard to find, and so many say “You don’t have any time for us. You’d rather just spend time in the gym”, or “you’ve got not time so we’re hardly friends”. But I have had one friend since I was born. She’s a year older than me and we don’t get to see each other often. But when we get together, it’s just like no time has passed! The level of understanding and support in our friendship is something special. Of course, I have also made some great friendships through gymnastics. I met my best friend Jule through gymnastics in Stuttgart. Although she didn’t carry on with the sport to the elite level, we have always kept in contact and she is one of the people who have stuck with me all the way. She is one of the people that not only stays by my side in every situation, but is also super empathetic and always has the right words to say. Friendships like this are a gift that I don’t take for granted. In terms of personal growth, these friendships are valuable and help define you.
Q: What are your job aspirations after you will have completed high school?
A: It has been my dream to study medicine since I was a child. I hope that I will be able to balance gymnastics and my studies, as well as everything else. I have now decided to do various work experience internships in medicine, with the goal of gaining a lot of experience and to gain insight into the field. Perhaps in the area of surgery or anaesthetics. But eventually I want to do manual medicine, which is currently a part of my treatment. Through my injuries, I have got to know many doctors and now have some good contacts who can share their medical knowledge with me so I can further my knowledge. I have also considered doing an internship in the care sector before studying medicine so that I can instead use that time for studying or recovering during my studies. I have planned things this way so that Stuttgart can remain the place where I do my physiotherapy, as well as Munich and Ulm for medical treatments. I am still considering whether I should take the medicine entry exam early next year as well. This may improve my chances of getting a place to study medicine somewhere like Ulm, Tübingen or Munich, so I would still be able to make it to training.
Q: Who are, or were, your role models in sport?
A: In general, I’ve got to say that I don’t have one particular role model. I am somebody who loves to learn from other people. This can be people that are not necessarily highly successful in their work or sport, but have a strong character or a particular quality, as well as role models like the elite gymnasts from the US. For me it’s simple: I look up to people who have a special ability, or how they conduct themselves in certain situations, or have a particular attitude to life. That begins with my aunt on my father’s side of the family, who is always positive and full of energy, right up to the American gymnasts, as I mentioned. So, overall, I am somebody who tries to take all the positives and remain full of energy.
Q: Do you have favourite food?
A: As a child, it was always pasta, pizza, everything. I’m now really into Asian food. I love stir-fried vegetables with rice, as well as Mama’s lasagne- that’s always a favourite.
I also like to eat locally- like Maultaschen– a Swabian delicacy (pasta with a filling such as meat, spinach, herbs, etc). When I’m on vacation, I like to try fish or other local foods, in order to experience a bit of local culture.
Q: Do you cook well?
A: Whether I can cook well is a matter of opinion! Since I have had more time recently and have been spending less time in the gym, I have started to cook more for myself. I find it fun, whether I’m alone or with friends or family. It normally works out okay.
Q: What do you value in people? And what can’t you stand?
A: What I really can’t stand is people being fake. I must say that. Spreading information that isn’t true, dishonesty. If you’ve built up a trust with someone and that trust is abused, when you’re reduced to something that does not reflect the truth. It’s things like that that I really can’t stand, as well as lying. What I do value is being a good listener. If someone really listens and looks past the façade and does not just see me as a positive happy girl. I am those things, but that often hides what’s going on underneath. So I really value when you can see that someone’s there for you. That you could go to them anytime, and don’t just have their support during the good times. I have had a positive experience with my physiotherapists and doctors, who make the effort to find new information and treatment methods in order to help me. Of course, being part of a family also helps you feel supported.
Q: Do you use any nutritional supplements? Protein shakes, for example?
A: A lot of needs are covered through a healthy, balanced diet. Of course being an elite athlete has some requirements because of the physical toll that training and competing has on your body. You need to increase performance and recovery. I’m not someone who is always adding protein powder or drinking shakes. I have tried a lot of things out because of my injury, and now during my rehab training. This has been very positive for my shoulder. I’ve got to say that it was also challenging to supplement my diet with protein shakes for building muscle. But you’ve also got to be careful that everything is safe and you only take in what we as elite athletes are allowed. So, overall I would say that it’s fine in moderation if needed, alongside a balanced diet.
Q: Do you have to adhere to a specific nutritional plan?
A: We don’t have a particular plan that we have to follow every day, but it’s a given that everyone knows how to fuel themselves well, or at least should know. You also inform yourself out of your own interest, and I try to eat a balanced and healthy diet. That is important, especially in sport, that you are doing your best in all areas and we also work with a nutritionist at the Olympic Centre (Olympiastützpunkt) in Stuttgart. He helps us to balance out any deficiencies or poor nutrition, and we work out how best to cope with different phases of training.
Q: Do you feel any pressure as the 2020 Olympics approach?
A: That’s a difficult question, because my focus right now is elsewhere. It’s not just on preparations in terms of my gymnastics. I can’t really say right now whether I’m preparing for the Olympics or for worlds. There’s no pressure in terms of my gymnastics, rather health pressure, because above all, I need to be healthy enough. That’s my top priority, meaning I need to invest the time needed to get my body in top form, but also give it the time to recover.
Of course, there’s a certain pressure present, because time is running out. Even if things work out and I finish with my therapy in October/November, the Olympics are next July/August. That means there‘s not much time in between to prepare, to optimise my training again and to make certain alterations. At the same time, the other women on the German team have had another year and a half to train, and I need to match their level. So if everything goes well, it still will come down to getting things just right. But right now my health is top priority. I need to be at full health, then everything else can come after that. If I can train pain-free and still have fun, I think it‘s still possible for me to aim for the Olympics.
Given the small timeframe, all that’s going on in the background, and my health record, it must be said that my going to the Olympics would be a massive success. Going to the Olympics would mean that everything I have invested in over the last year and a half would be worth it- whether it‘s the training, the painful therapy, or the surgery. Yes, Olympic participation would be incredible, to contribute to the team achieving the best results possible and to be part of the team. What we can achieve apart from that, we‘ll have to see.
Q: How do you manage to remain motivated?
It‘s not always easy. I think first of all I have to look at what I’ve already achieved, what I have been able to achieve, and of course what my next goals are. I often look back and think about how it feels to be in the gym, to compete, and showcase what I’ve been training for months. That’s my daily motivation. I don’t just want to do gymnastics for the successes- it‘s just doing gymnastics itself for the fun and the passion. That‘s motivation enough. Everything can come from you when the fun and passion are there, that’s just the best! I can’t put gymnastics into words because it‘s so unique. When I experience it and feel that way, that in itself is success. To experience that feeling again is my motivation.
Q: You won the bronze medal on balance beam in Montreal in 2017. How did that feel?
A: After the world championships, a few people asked me if I was disappointed about my bronze now that I had seen that gold would have been possible. I don’t think about it as having lost the gold. I won the bronze, and it’s obvious that that was a huge achievement for me at 17 years old at my first world championships, combined with my World Cup series win. It was a huge deal just to be in a world final, so being able to do my routine so well that I won a medal was a huge success, and in no way a disappointment.
Q: How have the people around you dealt with your injury/ illness? What‘s your experience been like in this regard?
A: I’m mainly thinking of my family here. My family, particularly my parents, suffer alongside me. My parents are happy if I’m happy, if I can take part in sports and most of all when I can do gymnastics. So it’s painful for them to see their daughter in pain, have surgeries and go through all these treatments. These are all things that need to be handled. I think you can only manage it when you all stick together. I firmly believe that if you’re frustrated, you need to approach things from a positive perspective. The positive energy you radiate can change your environment. You can collect the energy of others, their support, and internalise it. I think that‘s really important.
I’ve also found that it‘s family that really sticks by you in both the good times and the bad times. They’re the ones that really go through everything with you. They’re the ones who know how things really are behind the scenes, because it‘s not just talent and luck and success that win you gold medals. There’s plenty of setbacks or difficult moments in the preparation for the medals, when you doubt yourself or simply cannot keep going. In those times, it has been family and close friends that built me back up again, and that often goes on behind the scenes and goes unnoticed.
Of course, it is not just family that are behind me, but also friends. I also want to mention my sponsors. Support from sponsors is important, and it’s a great achievement to have sponsors and partnerships that keep supporting me even during this difficult time with my injury. I have KAMPA, Zurich, Kornspitz, and Erima as my main sponsors and partnerships, who have now been supporting me for a year and a half even though they know that I won‘t be competing in my home world championships.
For example, I have been working with KAMPA since 2016. And Zurich since 2017. Kornspitz also since 2016. These are partnerships that grow and interconnect, meaning my bronze medal at worlds, my World Cup success, and going to the Olympics were all mutual successes that we could celebrate together. At the same time there are the difficult times like injuries, where it‘s important that you know that you won’t get dropped or left behind. Our strength is that we are there for each other. This is why KAMPA, Kornspitz, Zurich, and Erima are great partners!
What also needs to be clarified is that in the current situation with my injury, it is not the result of an acute incident, rather possibly due to overuse or as the result of a slow process, so that I know how to begin my comeback. I have also seen how some of my support may fall away, whether it‘s former “friends” or other people who leave you to deal with the situation alone. I have also seen that, ultimately, many people I thought I could rely on can disappear at once, and I have had to come to terms with this unexpected experience. The real friends and the pretend friends become clear. I have ended up with those who are truly like-minded. This tends to be a smaller number than it would be in times of success. But these are the people I can really rely on and I think that it‘s important to say that in theory, giving up would be easier, but I have so much motivation that I keep looking forward with all this strength and energy.
There are also great things that happen alongside these negative experiences. If I think about the kind of people I work with, whether it’s with Klaus Kärcher management, my physiotherapists from VFH Reha Welt– Janina Wöhr, Tobias Gienger and Anke Talmon, as well as my rehab coach Frank Haile. It’s so valuable when you realise that you have that support even when you’re not at the top of your game in the sport.
Sometimes I find myself in a bit of a personal crisis; it gets to a point where it’s all too much and I can’t keep going. I finished school and completed my Abitur (with a 1.4 average). All this had to come alongside gymnastics, but was still very present, as well as my health problems. I had to face all of these situations at once. I hadn’t really come to terms with all of that, and when I realise that I have all this amazing support during this phase of not being on top, that I still had people around me doing their best for me and investing so much time and effort in me, I’m so grateful and appreciate it wholeheartedly. I have learnt, maybe partly through my injury, that you can’t take anything for granted. You have to appreciate what other people may not acknowledge: honesty, truth, and dependability.
Q: What do you hope for in the future?
A: Of course, the main goal is to be healthy. Not just me, but also my family, because nothing else is possible if you don’t have your health. I also hope I can achieve my career goals and maybe become a doctor, find fulfilment in that, and go on to enrich peoples’ lives just as I have strived to do in the sport. And that I don’t allow myself to be changed. Whether that’s through injuries, other people, or any difficult circumstances, that I stay true to myself. And for that, I have both my family and everyone else around me to thank.
Q: The Kontakt Foundation and the Trainersuchportal work together in the promotion of science and research for national and professional education. Their motto is “Sport is education!”. Based on your perspective and experiences, do you agree with that?
A: Yes, definitely! I train at a club that’s a voluntarily selected social community, strongly shaped by volunteers, which is important in a society. Alongside learning how the sport works, you also learn how to work as part of a team- including thoughtfulness and tolerance! It’s great being part of a team! If you spend years being an active part of a club and a team, you also learn a thing or too about the sport, training methods, perseverance, the infrastructures and everything else that’s an essential part of the sport.
Many athletes also train to become coaches alongside or after their active participation in the sport, and coach either as a part-time job or even as a full-time job. Others take their experiences and what they’ve learned in sport and apply it to other areas of work, or come back to the sport after having completed a degree or professional training. If my plan to become a doctor works out, I could definitely imagine myself applying this to the world of sport
Q: Is there anything spontaneous that you’d love to do?
A: I’d love to ride in a DTM race car or a Formula 1 car. Parachuting is also a dream of mine, though it might be even harder for that one to come true.
