After a strong start of the season, when Mustafina won gold at the Birmingham World Cup, she ended missing the rest of the season and does not plan on returning to competition until 2020.
Mustafina opted to miss the European Championships to recover after three competitions in a row. Then, an injury took her out of the European Games and did not allow her to defend her all-around title. Another injury led to her missing the Russian Cup in August and, as a result, not being in contention for the World Championships.
Mustafina told TASS that she needs to take a break from competitions in order to recover mentally as well and find motivation again:
“I don’t have any competitions planned until the new year. I took a break now so that I’ll miss gymnastics. My goals and desires are there, [at the Olympic Games] anyway. The break is until I start missing the sport because coming to the gym and not wanting to work is worse than not training at all.”
Photo: Russian Artistic Gymnastics Federation
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So break means no training at all? Or she will train just not compete?