The 16-year-old Victorian, affectionately known as Sasha, has just started her senior international career which has seen her make her Commonwealth Games debut, winning two bronze medals in the team and ball, World Cup debuts and claiming the All-Around Australian Title at the 2018 Australian Gymnastics Championships.

"Now that I get to exhale from it all and I think all these results are starting to sink in," Kiroi-Bogatyreva said.

"I feel very energised and feeling satisfied with my performances overall.

"I am very excited about the beginning of my Senior International career and can't wait to see what my coach has got planned for me," she said.

But the journey started almost 13 years ago when she was three and found the sport of rhythmic gymnastics in a unique way.

When was little her mother had her try various activities so at the age of three, her parents sent me to kinder gym and dance classes, but that was not what they were looking for.

So Kiroi-Bogatyreva ended up at The Prahran Rhythmic Gymnastics Specialist Centre in Windsor, Melbourne's south, and have ever looked back.

She now has her eyes on making her Olympic debut at Tokyo in 2020.

 

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"I certainly have it as my goals and this year's results is my first step toward the Olympics," she said.

There are 26 places for Rhythmic Gymnastics competition in Tokyo and the competition for places is not only physically tough but mentally too but qualification has changed from Rio, which overhauled the issues involved with the process previously.

Gold Coast Commonwealth Games teammate, Danielle Prince was the 2016 Australian representative in Rio.

Being a gymnast means being able to have a great balance especially being a teenager but Kiroi-Bogatyreva has a fantastic support system behind her to be able to juggle VCE Year 11, training and competition and a social life.

At the moment, she is trying to catch on some school studies to do mid-year exams as she has previously been studying on the road and in hotels. 

Her parents also don't allow her to miss any assignments.

"We have an agreement that they give me full support with my gym if I submit all my work together with the rest of my class," she said.

Thankfully, when it comes to her social life, it is much simpler to balance as most of Kiroi-Bogatyreva friends are gymnasts and they live on a similar timetable. 

"Gymnastics is a not just a sport, but a way of life," she said.

However, one of the hardest parts of being an athlete is the cost associated with travelling and competing. 

At the beginning of the year, while preparing for the Commonwealth Games 2018, Kiroi-Bogatyreva had to travel every week to get she routines assessed by the judges or test drive them in the competitive environment.

"What makes it very hard is the cost of the sport in Australia, considering all major Rhythmic events are in Europe and constant travel leads to high expenses, especially when I travel interstate or overseas nearly every month," she said.

After an intense 12 months, Kiroi-Bogatyreva has a bit of a break over the winter period as she works on her routines and qualifying for the 2018 World Championships ahead of an important year and a half for her chance to qualify for Tokyo 2020.

Up next is a possible trial in September for a final trial to represent Australia at the 36th FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.