Part of the women’s team that finished in 5th place at Glasgow 2014, Cara Kennedy will head to her second Games in Gold Coast this April alongside Commonwealth Youth Games team mate from 2011, Shannon Archer, 18 year-old Izzy Tolometti and 17 year-old Sofia Ramzan.

Since 2014 Cara has come through a string of injuries and is back at her best as the Gold Coast 2018 Games approach. After a team bronze at the 2017 Northern European Championships, Team Scotland’s women will be out to impress Down Under and we caught up with Cara as part of our Sport Focus Series:

How special was competing in a home Games at Glasgow 2014?

“It was amazing! The support from the home crowd was a very heartwarming feeling as you felt like every single person was right behind you. It was extra special for all of my family to be able to come watch me compete, in particular both my grandparents.

How does it feel to be representing Scotland once again in Gold Coast?

“I feel honoured and, being four years older now, going through a second campaign has made me realise what a privilege it is.”

Give us an idea of your training over the last year:

“Since the Glasgow Games training has been a rollercoaster due to many ankle injuries. At the start of 2017 and the beginning of the qualifying campaign, I had my third ankle operation so I had to be patient and build up to full training slowly. I had built up well and was training all four apparatus again… but for only three months as an Achilles inflammation set me back again! Determined to keep the faith, I slowly built back up to competing all four apparatus and finishing the year on a high!”

What was your highlight from last year?

“My highlight of 2017 was competing in the vault final at the Northern European Championships. As you have to show two different vaults, it’s the first time since 2013 that I have been able to do this and it’s meant overcoming a lot of physical and mental barriers for me.”

How do you maintain a balance between training and everyday life?

“The hardest thing is when it’s been a particularly tough training day or week and you lose sight of what you’re aiming for.  For the last 14 years, gymnastics has been my life and while it may be a different life to most teenagers I have a great group of friends and family who I always have fun with when not in the gym.”