Is this the end for Mitchell?

I have been so out of the gymnastics loop pretty much since Worlds concluded in 2013. Life became so overwhelming, and being between Olympics, I didn't feel as much fire for this fantastic sport as I used to.

However, just last week, I started making an attempt to reinvigorate my interest, and by the gods, it worked. I'm so excited for Glasgow, and Rio, and everything in between. I've been catching up on the major meets for the past few days and I can't believe I ever let myself fall away from this sport.

But I did come back to the gymternet to sad news. Lauren Mitchell, my all time FAVOURITE gymnast, has torn her ACL.

ACL tears are so common these days, which is actually a very scary thing to say, but as much I love Lauren, I'm not feeling too hopeful for her. She's just turned 24, which in these days, is teetering on the edge of the older side of gymnastics. But it's not her age which is making me feel so hopeless for her; it's the fact that Lauren has not been injury free since before the 2012 Olympic Games. Even before then, she was struggling with her shoulders.

Lauren at the floor final of the 2012 Olympic Games.

During the Olympics in London, Lauren had a pretty bad abdominal strain which was causing her a great deal of pain, which only made her fifth place finish on floor even more wonderful. After London, she took some time off to try and heal up, as well as finally having surgery on her shoulders which had been bothering her for almost the entire quad.

She had an almost successful comeback too. She competed with the Australian team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, managing to pick up a silver with the team, and another on floor exercise. It was a good comeback after nearly a year away from the sport, but for those of us who love Lauren, it was rather sad; just four years earlier, Australia had swept the medals. I myself was feeling a little down. It seemed that even at the Commonwealth Games, Lauren's stronghold on Australian gymnastics was weakening.

But then came Worlds, and Lauren was incredibly pumped to go. That lifted me up and I started feeling more hopeful for her. I knew a comeback can be years in the making, so I reminded myself that with Lauren's age and her track record with injuries, it was probably going to take a little more time.

Then disaster. Just days before Worlds were due to begin, Lauren rolled both of her ankles training floor. She was pulled out of the lineup, and her 2014 season was over. Ankle surgery took place sometime at the end of the year and effectively ended her competitive season.

I had the wonderful opportunity to watch Lauren at the Chetkovich Cup in October last year. She did perform her floor routine, but it was seriously watered down on account of her injured ankles. However, she still loved every second of performing that routine, and deep down, I knew she wasn't going to give up on gymnastics without a fight. I also got the awesome chance to meet her after the event, and even though she wasn't allowed to, she signed a drawing of her that my friend had done for me, and had a quick chat. I could tell she was tired and probably just wanted to go home and get a good night's sleep, but she was lovely and sweet just the same.

Then came the news of her ACL, and probably meniscus injury in the other knee. I was devastated. Lauren may not be the most consistent, the most daring, or have the greatest technique, but she does have a lot of style and quirk. She truly loves competing and works hard in every aspect of her gymnastics, which is clear even when she's having an off day. It's that drive, that determination, that willingness to smile even when a routine went badly that I love about Lauren. She has been a pioneer for Australian gymnastics, and made history for us. No matter what anyone says, whether they think Chelaru should have won, that day was Lauren's, and she was truly ecstatic to win.

Lauren on the podium in Rotterdam, 2010. She is clearly ecstatic to be World Champion.

Lauren has said that even with the ruptured ACL, she is hoping to make a comeback for Rio. I would love to see her make it. Even though her injury rap sheet makes me lose confidence, I do think that if anyone can do it with her circumstances, it's going to be Lauren. I would love to see her make one last Olympic team, and finish on a good note, rather than go out because of an ACL tear. With a little under a year to Rio, let's see what the mighty Mitchell can do.