USA National Team member Mattie Larson of All Olympia Gymnastics has had a change of heart after the most recent national team training camp and will start at UCLA in the fall to pursue her college gymnastics career. This means she will not attend the 2011 Visa Championships and not try for the 2011 USA World Team for Tokyo. 

She is still leaving her options open for the 2012 Olympics, but she needed a change after finishing her 2010 competitive season with mistakes at the World Championships. Larson had a great 2010 season prior to Rotterdam, winning the CoverGirl Classic all around title, and at the Visa National Championships she won the Floor title, placed 2nd all around and 3rd on uneven bars. 

"I'm not going to be competing elite this year," Larson told IG. "I decided to start at UCLA this fall … I might go back to elite next summer. Nothing is set in stone as of that, but I just didn't have that passion that I needed for this last kick going into the Olympic year."

Larson is known for her beautiful artistry, especially on floor, while delivering difficult gymnastics, and has always possessed a strong international look. She will be greatly missed in the elite world this year but we wish her all the best with the start her collegiate career. 

Watch Mattie Larson videos on gymnastike

Link to article on IG