LAURA Gallagher’s 2017 has gone better than she ever could have expected.

The Bridgwater trampolinist, 28, has had a very tough couple of years with injuries, to the point where she questioned whether she wanted to stay in the sport.

But after seven months’ break, she has made a triumphant return, becoming British champion in September this year, and then being part of the British team that won bronze in November’s World Championships.

Gallagher recently spoke to the Mercury to look back on her amazing year, having just returned from the Japan Open, an end-of-season international.

It was her first competitive event back in the sport 12 months ago, after taking a break due to a loss of fitness and therefore her confidence.

She had initially broken through as Under-19 World champion in 2007, and won World team silver in 2011, European team gold in 2012 and World team gold in 2013, but from there things started going downhill fast.

Gallagher said: “I suffered a back injury in 2014, and then when I came back I struggled for fitness.

“Those niggles affected my confidence, and I just couldn’t get myself together.

“I never had a long time between injuries, and after the 2016 European trials I took seven months out of the sport.

“I didn’t want to lose the sport, but I wanted to feel happy in it.”

Gallagher, who also has coeliac disease, used that time to study with the Open University, and took a job as a teaching assistant with Five Rivers childcare and education service.

“The company have been very supportive,” she said.

“They helped rebuild my confidence outside of trampolining, and I enjoy what I do.

“My boss, Anne Dowds, encouraged me to play hockey [for Taunton Vale], which I hadn’t done in years, and back into trampolining as well.”

That was just the boost she needed.

Gallagher added: “I began training again in September 2016 and attended the Japan Open – these were baby steps for me, with my goal being to get to the World Championships again.

“Training after work or studying has given me more perspective.

“After a bad training session I don’t hold onto it like I used to.”

In May of this year, Gallagher became French Masters champion, and then in September she won individual trampoline gold at the British Championships in Liverpool.

“To become British champion was a dream fulfilled for me,” she said.

From there it was on to the World Cup in Spain, where she finished fourth – just 0.1 points off another medal – and then the World Championships in Sofia in November.

She said: “It was nice to go back to Bulgaria, as we had won the British Championships there [in 2013].

“We knew it would be tough to get a medal, as there were only three of us in the team [there are usually four] and so even to qualify for the final would be tough in a strong field.

“Anyone in the final could have got a medal. I was pleased to record my second highest score of the season, and I love the team competition – it’s so exciting.

“It was an amazing achievement, and now I have the full set of World medals – gold, silver and bronze!”

Bridgwater Mercury:

BRONZE: Laura Gallagher (centre) helped Great Britain onto the podium in Sofia this year.

She added that she could not have done it without essential support from British Gymnastics.

“My coach, Sue Bramble, has been with me every step of the way, through good and bad, and Tracy Whittaker, the head coach of British Gymnastics, has also been crucial in giving me opportunities to compete.”

Gallagher has certainly earned her break over the Christmas period, but 2018 is looking like a hectic one for her, in gymnastics and beyond.

She said: “We have training camps in January and February, and trials for the European Championships.

“I’m also getting married in March, so it will be a busy time – when we booked the wedding, I wasn’t planning to be jumping!”

Finally, how can young people in her hometown get involved in the sport?

“My local club there is Quayside Trampoline and Gymnastics Club.

“It has a real community feel, with experienced coaches and a path to the senior programme.

“They cater for just doing it for fun, or if you want to push on to the elite, so I’ve been lucky to train there.”