Bridget Sloan: From Olympic Trials Devastation to Success at UF

Apr 16, 2013 by Brittany Norton

One year ago, 2008 Olympian and 2009 World Champion, Bridget Sloan, was training intensely at Sharp’s Gymnastics Academy to make yet another Olympic team. The 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials proved to be her last elite gymnastics run, but not her last competition. Bridget Sloan is the only all-around World Champion to compete in NCAA gymnastics, and the Gator Nation is very lucky to have her.

Bridget said, "It's just so crazy for me to think that a year ago, around this time, I was in the gym six days a week and twice a day, working so hard at this one goal. And now, I'm in college, enjoying the heck out of my life! I'm absolutely loving life right now!”

Although she is enjoying her college experience at the University of Florida so far, one year ago she couldn’t have dreamed that her Olympic ride would end so suddenly. On uneven bars, during the 2012 Olympic Trials warm-up, Bridget Sloan sprained her elbow and consequently withdrew from the competition.

She explained what she was feeling after trials. “It was definitely not, obviously, a good time for me. I was really down on myself, because it’s just one of those moments where you wonder, ‘What if I would have done this? What if I would have hit the mat a little differently?’ I know in one of the interviews it was like my mind was there and I was mentally prepared, but my body was just screaming at me, 'It's time to be done!’ It was definitely hard to digest at the time but thinking back I'm so happy that I still had college to look forward to.”

Bridget never took endorsement money throughout her elite career, which allowed her to keep college gymnastics as an option, and this decision is what helped her through the tough times.

“After trials I was a little uneasy about everything because it’s just one of those things…it just sucks. No one ever wants to get hurt,” she explained. “Again, it was hard to digest, but I was able to have the opportunity to come here and I'm so glad and so, so thankful that I did not take money at any time, and that I was still able to keep my NCAA eligibility. I'm not exactly sure where I would be at this time if I had taken money. I'm pretty sure I would be at home with my parents, and I'd still be training at Sharps. So I'm glad that I was able to end my career as an elite, maybe not on the best note, but still able to have the achievements that are with me forever. They can never be taken away from me. It's just nice to look back and realize that I did have an amazing ride and that I still have life left to go in gymnastics and in college.”

So far Bridget has received SEC Freshman of the Year and has dominated for the Gators on every event, scoring a 9.95 on vault and floor, and a near perfect 9.975 on uneven bars and balance beam. Coming from the top of the Elite world everyone expected Bridget to transition well, but Bridget says the transition was harder than expected.

“I've been trying to live every experience to the fullest and it has been a lot of fun, and I just learned so much. So much that I thought I already knew…I actually didn’t. I was like 'I'm an elite. I know all of the college stuff.’ No. I had to relearn everything! It was definitely an experience that I'm really glad I was able to have, and able to experience here at the greatest university."

When asked about how she identified herself now, she couldn’t decide whether she was a Gator, an Olympian, or a World Champion. So she made up a name for herself: Triple Trouble.

“Its just weird to think that I'm an Olympian, I'm a world champion, I'm also a Gator. I’m all those three combinations. Triple trouble right there! It's awesome to kind of switch it off and become a college athlete, and really absorb into the college atmosphere. It was hard for me at first to really get the whole fling your head back when you land, and smile throughout your routine. It was definitely new for me, but I realized how much I love performing! [College] kind of gave me that extra energy to really just show it off and have fun.”

Bridget’s life has literally flipped a 180 in just the span of a single year. She explained that she has tried to make her freshman year as normal as possible by attending everything that she can. The Gator Nation offers so many great sporting events and Bridget wasn’t going to miss anything!

“I’ve been trying so hard to see everything! I've gone to baseball games, football games, of course. In the fall we all went to almost every single home game, and it was just so fun and it made me realize that I felt like a normal student. I felt like I was really able to grasp the whole college experience. I definitely do not regret anything!”

Bridget may not have made a second Olympic team, but she couldn’t be happier with her choice to attend the University of Florida. The Gators made history winning the 2013 NCAA title and Sloan won the Individual All Around and beam title.

Related:
Watch Bridget Sloan videos
View Bridget Sloan photos