Maintaining a dual career horizon in women’s artistic gymnastics. A case of a gymnast

This chapter presents the case study of a Moa. It focuses on how Moa maintained a dual career horizon in elite sport and how her decision to study and a subsequent unexpected injury became turning points that engendered learning and transformation of her self and career. Her athletic development and the status rise she experienced through the reputation of her coach endorsed her adoption of a ‘horizon for elite gymnastics’. The non-selection literally tore down the horizon for Olympic participation, which the 19-year-old gymnast had focused her sight on throughout endless hours of training. Despite non-selection, the national gymnastics federation called Moa to the training camps for the Olympic team. The forced time-out from her gymnastics life triggered important learning in Moa. The chapter describes the learning career Moa developed inside and outside of elite gymnastics.