Leap of faith: Gymnast Emma Slevin hoping collegiate cauldron can bounce her onto LA

Back from the intensity of collegiate competition in Minnesota, the Irish gymnast's focus shifts quickly to this weekend's National Championships in Abbotstown, which act as a qualifier for the European Championships in August

DUSTING UP: Emma Slevin at the National Gymnastics Training Centre: The National Series event takes place this weekend at the Sport Ireland Campus. Pic: Nick Elliott, Inpho

As she proved a decade ago, Emma Slevin has always been prepared to make the difficult call if it meant moving forward.

When she was 13, the young Galwegian gymnast went all in on the sport, a decision made all the more difficult by the fact that her GAA-loving parents, Liam and Deirdre, wanted her to continue playing football and camogie.