Filipina-American gymnast Kylee Kvamme. Photo from Kvamme/InstagramMANILA — After recovering from injury, Filipina-American gymnast Kylee Kvamme returns to elite competition with a more mature mindset and bigger goals.
Kvamme made a comeback for the Philippines in the 13th Senior Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in Zunyi, China last month.
The incoming University of Alabama junior competed in balance beam and vault.
"I think it was a good start, definitely. I have a lot to improve on, especially only doing two events I want to do all around, so that would be a big part. But it was a lot of fun, especially to see all the changes from 2023, my first Asian Champs, about how different gymnastics is now, and it's just grown so much, and I'm happy to see it," she told ABS-CBN News at the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines Gym.
Kvamme last competed for the Philippines in the 2023 Asian Championships, later taking a back seat from the sport due to her shoulder and back injuries.
She said it was the love for gymnastics that kept her motivated to come back.
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"I'm still getting back from all those things. I'm not the same as I was a long time ago, but on beam especially, I'm better probably now. I'm more stable, and also being a little bit older, I have more experience," she shared.
"So it's easier to get back into things after taking that break, but still gaining the strength in my back and my shoulder from a while ago, but it's still coming back," Kvamme added.
The 19-year-old admits she's still regaining her form, but said the time away from gymnastics helped her develop her mentality.
"I discovered that gymnastics is mostly mental. A lot of it, I mean, you can go probably a week and come back like nothing was different, as long as you stay in shape, but visualizing does a lot. I learned that in college at the University of Alabama. They have taught me so much about how the mental side of gymnastics is just, once you get to that certain age, it's all mental for gymnastics," she said.
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Kvamme said competing both for the University of Alabama in the US NCAA and the Philippines on the international stage has helped elevate her game.
"It's a lot of fun. It's such an eye-opener on how big the gymnastics world is, because there [in the NCAA] I'm doing shorter routines, trying to be perfect, but here I'm doing bigger routines, also trying to be perfect, but wanting to get those difficulties and stuff like that here. It's just a lot of an eye-opener, and it's a blessing to have both opportunities at the same time," she said.
"It gives me a lot of experience. I think in NCAA, I have so much nerves because I'm competing for that next person to go or to close out a lineup, but here it's to compete for a whole country, and it's just a lot different," Kvamme added.
Despite not having a summer break like her peers, Kvamme said the sacrifice is worth it if it means representing the country and getting better in elite gymnastics.
After a brief pause due to injuries, Kvamme said she's happy to be back after growing even outside of gymnastics.
"I mean, definitely it's just seen through age. I was only 17, 16 when I did that, so I just carry myself a lot differently, but even my speaking is a lot better and just seeing all the experiences and what I know now and wanting to also be one of the older girls that the little girls look up to now, it's just different, so it's nice," she said.
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Kvamme will be among those taking on the leadership role in the 20th Asian Games, with Olympians Aleah Finnegan and Emma Malabuyo sitting out due to injuries.
"I love leading. I like leading as a servant, so servant leadership is a big thing to me about helping younger girls become and prepare them to be a leader in their future. That's a big part to me and it's just what helps me stay in love with gymnastics, really," she said.
After the Asian Championships, Kvamme is back in the United States to discuss with her team their plan for the continental meet.
"I'll definitely get back to the U.S. and talk to my coaches at the University of Alabama to create a plan on events and routines to start training, but they're all hands on deck, what's it called, to help me prepare for those competitions," she said.
"Obviously, the ultimate goal would be to go to the Olympics, of course, but I think definitely coming up next would be to qualify to Worlds and compete at Worlds and gymnastically add a second vault, definitely upgrade vault because I think I have a shot there at medaling at places, so that would be the big step," Kvamme added.