The road to the Canada Winter Games was a bumpy one for Allison DeLong of Newfoundland. Just a year ago, she was in an elite training pool of 30 Canadians for gymnastics, as well as being a competitive synchronized swimmer. That all changed last winter when an accident on the uneven bars left her with a badly broken arm. It was obvious that competing in both sports was too strenuous on her body and she would have to choose between them.

DeLong had planned to compete in the Canadian Open Synchronized Swimming Championships in Winnipeg last May, but her arm was too weak. Two and a half months after the accident, her cast came off just one week before the competition. Only days before leaving for Winnipeg, DeLong decided to compete in Figures despite her lack of training. She placed fourth out of the eight people on her team.

Both of DeLong’s parents have competed in previous Canada Games; her mother in Synchronized Swimming and her father in Track and Field. They have encouraged her to keep training and try for the Games. “They both know what a great experience it is,” says DeLong, “and they want me to have that experience, too.”

Not even a year after her accident, Delong is feeling stronger than ever and will compete in the Figures and in the team Synchronized Swimming events. She hopes her team will place at least sixth overall.