After standing on the podium in July, Alysha Read’s September setback at the New Zealand Nationals became a turning point – pushing her to rediscover why she loved rhythmic gymnastics in the first place.
The 21-year-old Whitianga woman took part in the Australian Nationals, held on the Gold Coast in July, where she came away with two medals – more than she “ever dreamed of”.
But heading into the New Zealand competition two months later, Alysha said she had set her expectations too high.
“I wanted to pick up where I left off in 2022, coming second overall, but it hadn’t really crossed my mind that my last New Zealand Nationals was three years ago when I was 17 and a lot has changed since then.
“New competitors, less training, a completely different lifestyle, I just wasn’t focusing on the right thing, which should’ve been having fun and performing well – not results,” she said.
Alysha still made the ball final and qualified first for the ribbon final; however, she admitted it took some hindsight to truly feel proud of those achievements.
“Looking ahead to future comps, I need to realise why I decided to go back to gymnastics in the first place. I’m back because I absolutely love it and I want to make the most of this while I still can; medals and placings should be seen as a bonus now, not an expectation,” she said.
Alysha stepped away from the sport in 2022 to finish her schooling at Hauraki Plains College, complete a Diploma in Professional Scuba Instruction, and work for Dive Zone Whitianga.
She said she’s lived her life with gymnastics and without it, and enjoyed her life with it “a lot more”. So, she’s embarking on the Australian Nationals yet again, as well as trials in February for a tour to Japan.
“Maybe it’s because it has been part of my identity for so long it was hard to adjust to a life without it, maybe it was because I genuinely love it, maybe I missed being an athlete and all the people and experiences that came with it, or maybe it was just the fact I truly felt like I was not done,” she told The Profile.
“I still had more to give, and thank god I decided that was the case because imagine what I would’ve missed out on.
“I have to do a quick reality check though,” she added. “It has been an incredibly busy year and there were times I was on the verge of burnout.”
Alysha said she “pretty much lived” out of her suitcase for four months and spent a lot of late nights driving and early mornings training before work.
She said she was looking forward to spending a few weeks of summer staying in one place – the Coromandel.
“I still have big goals in both diving and gymnastics, but I also have goals that go beyond either of these. So I know that what I’m doing isn’t forever, but it’s what I’m doing right now in this season of my life and I am beyond happy with that,” she said.
“Here’s to the fools that dream, right?”
BY KELLEY TANTAU
