Elisabetta Preziosa, a member of Italy’s 2012 Olympic team, has officially retired from gymnastics, Ginnasticando announced today.

A fan favorite, Preziosa was known for her beautiful artistry on balance beam, where she had two eponymous skills – a one leg stand with the free foot held above the head for two seconds as well as a 1.5 Y-turn, both on beam.

Rumors began surfacing about her retirement last summer, when a knee injury and intensive physical therapy kept her from competing at the Italian Championships. According to a Facebook post, she said she still had 2016 on her mind but was waiting until she was fully healthy again before getting back to training.

Unfortunately, this never ended up working out, though she will remain with her gym, Gal Lissone, to focus on coaching.

Preziosa became a senior in 2009, and immediately made her mark at World Championships that fall with a fifth place finish on beam in event finals. Despite a few unfortunately-timed injuries, she was also a member of the 2010 and 2011 World Championship teams, and in 2012 she helped the Italian team qualify to the final after competing on vault, beam, and floor in qualifications. In 2014, she competed at all three Serie A meets early in the year, earning a 14.050 on beam in Florence and finishing with a 14.150 on beam in Desio, the last competition of her career.

In addition to her competitive resume, Preziosa was also known as one of the stars of MTV Italy’s “Ginnaste – Vite Parallele,” which followed the lives of Preziosa and several other gymnasts who trained in Milan, including Carlotta Ferlito, Francesca Deagostini, and Elisa Meneghini.

To celebrate the career of this incredible gymnast, please enjoy some of our favorite routines!

Her fifth place beam routine at 2009 World Championships

On floor at the Olympic Test Event in 2012

One of her final beam routines at the 2014 Serie A1 meet

Article by Lauren Hopkins