At age 51, Chicago area gymnast to represent U.S. in World Cup competition

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 51-year-old gymnast from Algonquin is showing age is just a number, as she heads to Germany with Team USA to compete in the Gymnastics Masters Team World Cup.

The competition features competitors ages 30 and up from the U.S., Germany, Great Britain, and Japan.

It will be kind of like the Olympics for Alison Wright, of Algonquin. She's won a couple national titles, but now she's heading international. She'll be competing on the balance beam at the Gymnastics Masters Team World Cup in Einbeck, Germany.

She first got into gymnastics when she was 3 years old, and she kept it up for about 15 years before she "retired" at 18.

"Back in the 80s, 18 was considered old," she said. "Then, two years ago, I randomly came across an article about adult gymnastics. I had no idea it was even a thing. So I did some research, and found this whole community of adult gymnasts that do this. They do it for fun, they do it to compete, and that's kind of how I learned about it, and started to get into it again."

Wright said training for competition is much different now than when she was a kid.

"My body doesn't work like it used to. I'm not as flexible. I get hurt every other day. It's always something," she said.

She's been back at gymnastics for two years now, training at Royalty Gymnastics, Tumble and Dance in Huntley.

"It's the best part of my day to come into Royalty Gymnastics, it really is," she said.

Royalty Gymnastics co-owner Edmar Nicolas, who was a gymnast himself as a youth, said he wanted to provide a community for adult gymnasts, because he wasn't able to find gyms that would allow adults in gymnastics programs after he finished high school. He said he started the adult gymnastics program at Royalty because of Wright, and now his younger gymnasts look up to her.

Just this summer, Wright won five medals while competing with the Amateur Athletic Union. She brought home a gold, two silver, and two bronze medals at the AAU Gymnastics National Championship in Florida.

"She's been a little mini celebrity for us," he said. "She's our first national title here, and now she's our first international person. So it's quite exciting."