At 28 years old, Emma Nedov’s journey through gymnastics is nothing short of inspiring. After a three-and-a-half-year retirement, Emma made a remarkable return to the sport in late 2023, driven by the mentality of ‘what do I have to lose?’ Her resilience and passion have now led her to achieve the ultimate dream—becoming an Olympian.
We had the privilege of getting to know Emma and learn a bit more about herself, her 2024 Olympic journey, and what advice she would give to gymnasts who may be facing challenges…
1. Can you talk us through your early gymnastics career? Did you have any inspirations in gymnastics?
I started gymnastics when I was 5 years old, for fun and because my mum thought I’d be good at it. It wasn’t until I was about 12 or 13 that I realised I was good at it and that a career and the Olympics were possible for me.
I’ve always adored Catalina Ponor on beam from a young age and I got to compete with her in 2017 at a World Cup which was brilliant. I also always admired Lauren Mitchell for her strength and grit in training.
2. Were there any particular moments or achievements in your early career that you felt were pivotal?
Going to the Pre Youth Olympic Cup in Germany when I was 13 was my first big competition and that was a really significant event because I had never experienced anything like it!
Then winning beam at the Youth Commonwealth Games in 2011 was when I took on a love for beam in particular.
3. After taking a break from the sport, what motivated your comeback?
I had found a new love and appreciation for gymnastics after taking time away so when the opportunity presented itself to be able to train again I jumped at it.
I was conveniently living around the corner from a gymnastics centre and my best friend and business partner said she was going to train for the Olympics so I honestly just said “why not” and was motivated by the fact that I had nothing to lose and everything to gain from giving it a go one last time.
4. Talk us through your reaction when you realised you were representing Australia in the 2024 Olympics?
It didn’t fully set in until I was about to walk out into the competition arena and I almost started crying before walking out - which is rare, I hardly cry!
However, when I was selected for the team and I got to share that news with the people that had supported me right from the beginning -- like my parents and family, and all those that believed I could come back -- it was incredibly special to see how proud and happy it made them!
I’d just like to recognise that I have some truly brilliant people around me that have helped make this all possible. In particular my parents who I am eternally grateful for.
5. Can you talk us through what an average day looked like in Paris?
When we got into the village there wasn’t much of a concept of time or days. We operated depending on when buses and training were.
We mostly trained in the late evening in the lead up to competition because we were competing late. For example, we’d wake up around 9/9:30, (once the jetlag wore off) go downstairs in the Aus hub for brekky, (which for me was 3 boiled eggs, a piece of toast with avocado and a coffee) then we’d either head to our first session of training or do some stretching in the gym before coming back for a poke bowl for lunch. I’d then have a nap before heading to evening training and then returning around 10pm for a late dinner and heading to bed!
We certainly had lots of laughs together as a team and did a baguette making class in the village on one of our rest days!!
6. Can you tell us a little bit about your Olympic experience?
The Olympic experience was exhilarating!
It feels like a completely separate world when you’re in the village because it’s closed off and everything is free and accessible. The beds are made of cardboard however they weren’t too bad, just a little bit stiff.
We did mingle with a lot of Aussie athletes and it filled me with a lot of pride to be a part of Australia.
It really reminded me of how lucky we are and what a great community of people we are in supporting one another.
The dining hall was communal for all countries and that was an awesome experience to walk around and be amongst the best athletes in the whole world. An experience I’ll remember forever.
7. You shared an Instagram post about a last minute change to your beam routine for qualifications which would've felt unsettling so close to performance. Can you talk us through this moment…
Yes, as you can imagine it was difficult and I’m disappointed in how my performance went. It was a knock to my confidence which is what I struggled with most, especially given beam is my most favoured event. It was difficult for our coaches too because it put them in a tricky situation so ultimately I thought I would be able to handle it but I do believe it wasn’t the smartest decision.
A great learning experience for teams and individuals in future however and I’m eager to be able to make sure it never happens again.
8. What were you most excited for when visiting Paris?
I just love Paris. I’ve been before with my family. I love the culture, the food and the elegance and style of the city. I was most excited to be immersed in it again and spend some time roaming around after competition - which I did!
9. After taking a break from gymnastics, what advice would you give to gymnasts who may be facing challenges in the sport?
I would say to be patient with yourself and your athletes. The rush to be ‘ready’ is no longer emphasised and athletes can still thrive in gymnastics later in life now.
Keep going towards your goals and be okay with anything that comes up along the way. Things are likely to disrupt your plans, like injuries and other external situations; however, it’s the journey towards your goals that builds the person you become and gymnasts are some of the toughest and most courageous people I know. So keep smiling and never give up!
10. Can you share with us some hobbies or interests you have outside of gymnastics? And, any future plans?
I’m currently re-learning the piano and I also love to sing! For future plans, at this stage, I'm not sure. I'll keep training in gymnastics and see where I can go!
