laura - gallagher

trampolining

What was your sport and how did you get into it?

I am a current Team GB trampoline gymnast. I started bouncing at my local sports centre aged five and just loved it! I started doing an hour or two each week alongside lots of other sports and activities but at the age of 12 I wanted to try competing, so I moved to a different club and I’ve been with them ever since. 

I was selected for my first international representing Great Britain when I was 15. When I came home I felt so inspired by the experience, I decided I’d like to see how far I could go in the sport. I stopped a few of my other sports so I could increase my training hours and began my journey to fulfil my dream of competing at the Olympic Games. 

Tell us about the highlights of your sporting career?

Winning gold with the team at the World Championships in 2013! It was such a good final, I performed a personal best at the time and we all stepped up and delivered. Just such an incredible moment!

Becoming British champion in 2017. I’d had some time out of the sport after an unsuccessful return from injury. I decided to return to training and the win there was really the start of the most amazing few years in my career as it set me on the path to the Olympics in Tokyo.

Helping Team GB to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics and then qualifying myself into that place to become an Olympian and compete at an Olympic Games, third time lucky! It was a very special experience.

What were some of the challenges you experienced and how did you overcome them?

I’ve had injury set backs and some have put me out for long periods, but the biggest challenge I faced was psychological. 

After becoming a junior world champion, I experienced severe mental blocks which led to very low confidence. It seemed strange and confusing to go from such a high of winning my first major to, at times, not even being able to get onto the trampoline. It started with not being able to take off for skills I’d been doing for years which caused anxiety and doubts. I would experience nightmares where I would be performing a skill incorrectly and hurt myself - or worse - and things just spiralled. It affected me outside of the gym as well. 

After about 10 months I think I reached my lowest point. My coach and I had tried many things but nothing had worked and my coach suggested it was perhaps time to think about stopping. 

I remember leaving that session, going home and just spending hours writing plans and instruction sheets to follow so I didn’t have to think as much, which stopped me questioning my decisions! Gradually I built back my skills and learnt new ones too and by the end of that year I was selected for my first senior World Championships. 

I sometimes have thoughts now but I have a big bank of strategies to deal with them. I think going through that experience definitely made me a stronger, tougher athlete and person. 

What have been your highlights while working at the Trust?

Delivering on the On Track to Achieve programmes in schools. I’ve been lucky to work with some great groups and seeing them grow in confidence, try new things and overcome various challenges along the way has been very rewarding. 

What do you do now alongside working for the Trust?

I will be returning to training and coaching after having my baby daughter at the end of Jan ‘23. 

I previously worked in various mainstream and alternative education settings before leaving to train away from home in prep for Tokyo and more recently, before the arrival of my daughter, I held an athlete engagement manager position with Switch the Play, supporting athletes during and beyond sport. 

What life advice would you give a young person?

Have the courage to try! 

What does Being Me mean to you?

Being proud and embracing who I am and my journey both inside and outside of my sport without comparing myself to anyone else

Competitive Record

2021

Tokyo Olympics

2019

World Championship Silver (team)

World Championship finalist

2018

World Cup Bronze

2017

British Champion

World Championship Bronze (team)

2014

2014 European Championship Gold (team)

2014 World Cup Finalist

2013

World Championship Gold (team)

World Championship semi-finalist

World Cup finalist

2012

European Championship Gold (team)

European Championship Bronze