Roxana Popa will compete for the first time in three years

Roxana Popa’s knee injury that ended her run for the 2016 Olympics was one of the biggest gymnastics heartbreaks in 2016. That injury happened after a long recovery from her first knee injury in 2014.

Nevertheless, Popa kept going and has just announced she would compete for the first time in three years. Popa will make her comeback at a club competition on February, 8th. She said: “This is for me, not anyone else. It’s time to say: “It’s enough that I am here”, without being demanding of me, without crushing me. I do not have to prove anything to anyone. Those who harrass me, dislike me or want to criticise me because of my gymnastics, my physique, or any stupidity that comes to mind, I encourage you not to watch me compete. Because my pride and my smile will not be taken from me”.

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Despues de los 3 años y pico que os he querido hacer ver que he pasado, para concluir estos párrafos, estoy orgullosa de anunciar que estaré compitiendo el 8 de Febrero en la Liga Iberdrola junto con mi Club Los Cantos Alcorcón. Y esto es por mi, no por nadie. Es el momento de decir "es suficiente que esté aquí", no exigirme, no machacarme. No debo demostrar nada a nadie, a quien le moleste, disguste, o tenga ganas de criticarme ya sea por mi gimnasia, mi físico, o cualquier estupidez que se les ocurra, les animo a no mirar mientras compita. Porque mi orgullo y mi sonrisa no me los quitarán. Próxima parada : GIRONA 8 FEBRERO!

A post shared by Roxana Popa (@roxanapopa97) on Jan 22, 2019 at 2:32pm PST