Dutch gymnast Vera van Pol had to miss the beginning of the 2019 season due to ankle surgery but she has recovered and was allowed the full training load. Van Pol told The Force is Grace that being in the World Championship training squad is her most important goal this year:
“I’m confident I’ll be included on the training squad. I’m not worried about that. Everything’s looking good at the moment and my ankle is actually not bothering me at all anymore. I’m able to do a bit more each day.”
Van Pol is not sure she’ll participate at the Dutch Championships in June:
“It’s in the back of my mind, but I’m not sure if it’s an option. If I do participate, it might be a couple of events. Working towards Stuttgart I’m definitely aiming to do all-around. Of course, I want to go to the World Championships.”
She had surgery in February but wasn’t out of the gym for long:
“A week after my surgery, I came back to training. I was at the gym once a day, with my crutches. When I got a boot for my ankle, I went back to training twice a day. It’s all going better than expected. I’ve been able to run a bit again since last Thursday. And this week I’ve done some tumbling passes on the air track for the first time.”
She is completely pain-free and is hopeful for the coming months:
“It just feels very good and I’m happy it has all gone so smoothly. I wasn’t expecting that, especially because with previous injuries, on my right ankle, I often had a few setbacks. That’s not the case this time. So I have every reason to be happy.”
Translation from Dutch by Elisabeth
