Senior gymnast Simona Castro is used to the pressures of being a student athlete, but this past summer she experienced a new level of pressure as an athlete while competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

“I was a little nervous because I felt that there was a lot of [pressure] on me to perform well,” said Castro.

Being the first Chilean woman to compete in Olympic gymnastics, Castro was representing both DU and her native country of Chile.

“I tried to put those thoughts aside, hoping it wouldn’t affect my performance,” said Castro.
Castro hit all four of her individual events with no falls, which included vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise, finishing 43rd in the individual all-around.

“She improved from world championships in Japan; she placed better and scored higher. It goes to show her growth and improvement,” said Denver head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart.

Castro said she was content with her performance but acknowledged room for improvement.

“I think it’s important to inspire others to get there and not to diminish the fact that you made it, but didn’t get a medal,” said Castro. “If you’re willing to put in work, anything is possible.”

Castro has been putting in work for the past 17 years, starting gymnastics at the age of six. When the thought of the Olympics became a possibility, she started training extra hours with assistant coach Carl Leland. Within the past year, Leland has traveled with Castro to three qualifier events that led up to the Olympics.

“He helps me deal with the mental aspect of it,” said Castro. “He really pushes me to ask myself, ‘How bad do you want it?’ and it reminds me how important gymnastics is to me.”

With her collegiate season ending last April, Castro had roughly three months to train with Leland.
“We tried to focus on getting as much training as we could, but I thought she did well considering the difficulties with injuries and the short time frame,” said Leland.

Now that she’s back on campus and things are slowing down, Castro and her coaches are focusing on her senior year and her final season as a Pioneer.

“I think she does a good job of balancing a high level of academics and gymnastics. I want her to have the best senior year possible,” said Kutcher-Rinehart. Castro is currently pursuing a major in management.

Castro will spend her final season with a team that has supported her throughout her journey. Last year, the team was ranked No. 14 in the country at the end of the regular season and clinched the Western Athletic Conference championships in its first season in the conference.

“It’s nice to have people back me up and support me,” said Castro. “Even though they weren’t with me, I still felt their support.”

As far as the 2016 Olympics, Castro is already thinking ahead.

“Hopefully I’ll be in one piece and be able to make it,” said Castro.

Until then, she’s taking one thing at a time, starting with senior year.

“As a senior, you realize the world you have here at the university is coming to an end, and you have to find your next purpose, but I know gymnastics will always be tied up in her identity,” said Leland.