Chelsie Boychuk was excited to be competing in her first international event in her hometown July 27-30.
Boychuk, 18, is returning from a pair of injuries: a back injury kept her out for nearly a year and she is still recovering from a broken ankle that she suffered in February. Taking a year off to rest her back and heal her ankle was tough for Boychuk. It meant watching from the sidelines when all she wanted to do was compete.
“It’s been very hard on my body,” said Boychuk. “It’s still hard now. My ankle still bothers me sometimes.”
Returning to competition was always part of the plan for Boychuk, but returning in time to compete at the Canada Cup competition in Airdrie was an added bonus. It gave her the chance to compete in front of her family and friends and alongside her older sister, Corissa.
“I love competing with her. She’s always there for me and she supports me even when she doesn’t attend the competition. I wish I could be there for her when she’s at Worlds,” Boychuk said.
While her return to gymnastics and competition has been a large part of Boychuk’s life over the past year, it hasn’t been the only part of it. She graduated from W.G. Murdoch in 2010 and completed her first year at Mount Royal University in Early Childhood Education. In between training for competition and being a full-time student, Boychuk also taught gymnastics in Airdrie.
“It was crazy. I didn’t have a social life at all, but I got through it and I’m glad I did it,” said Boychuk.
Boychuk medalled in the synchro women’s novice event, winning bronze with her partner, Caitlin Dube, and placed eighth in the double mini trampoline novice 15+ event.
“I just wanted to finish my routines,” Boychuk said.
“I would love to qualify for nationals, and as long as my ankle holds out, I should be able to. I want more, but nationals is my next goal.”
