Karnejenko's journey from Estonia to Scotland - and back from retirement

Sixteen years on from leaving his native Estonia to move to Scotland and having gone back on his 2023 retirement decision, gymnast Pavel Karnejenko says representing his adopted homeland at next month's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will be "a full circle moment".

Born in Tallin, Karnejenko, 26, arrived in Glasgow in 2010 with his parents, who he said "wanted to give me and my two sisters better opportunities in life". He qualifies for Scotland under residency rules.

So, understandably, he will experience a combination of pride and emotion when he pulls on the Team Scotland colours in the country - and city - he now calls home this summer.

"I learned the language here, I learned gymnastics here, I made loads of friends and just feel really connected to Glasgow – it is my home now, I have been here more than Estonia," Karnejenko explained before his second Commonwealth Games, having represented Scotland at the Birmingham 2022 Games.

"It has just been a crazy journey and it is a full circle moment and now we are here.

"I have still got some of my family in Estonia so I still feel connected to Estonia. But I grew up in Glasgow."

Karnejenko admits his only early experience of gymnastics was trying it "on my living room sofa, I used to stack up pillows and try back flips" before his love for the sport flourished in Glasgow.

"I was already doing crazy things around the house and my mum just wanted to take me somewhere that I could do it safely and I just had a massive passion for it, fell in love, it was just my life ever since," he explained.

"We knew in the UK there were a lot more gymnastics clubs because in Estonia , especially when I was there when I was a kid, there weren't any.

'We found the City of Glasgow Gymnastics Club. I remember coming through the door meeting Marius."

Marius Gherman would become Karnejenko's coach and the gymnast would eventually make his way into the Great Britain squad.

"I couldn't speak English so the boys had to show me the skills because I couldn't actually understand what the coach was saying," he recalled.

"I was terrible when I started because usually gymnasts start when they are around five, six years old. Ten was really late so I had a lot of catching up to do.

"It wasn't easy, there were a lot of setbacks. My first competitions, I was coming last. It was really hard, I was upset.

"But I just remember I had a clear goal in mind that I wanted to be the best in the club and try and get my way up the ranks."

In time, injury would curtail Karnejenko's career but the lure of performing in Glasgow proved too strong.

And he said: "I can't even put it into words, it is so special to me because I did retire three years ago due to a fourth ankle surgery.

"I didn't think I would ever come back, it was around that time when it was getting confirmed that it was going to be in Glasgow and once it was confirmed the Commonwealth Games was happening and gymnastics was going to be one of the sports. That is when I thought, 'it is time to make a comeback' .

"It feels so special, starting my gymnastics journey here, moving away to train with Team GB down south and then coming back to Glasgow and finishing off this journey with my coach that I originally started, Marius Gherman. It means the world to me.

"And representing Scotland at a home Games, there is not going to be anything that comes close to it – I never wanted to have 'what ifs?'.

"At the end of the day these are the most important parts in your life, memories and highlights."

And Karnejenko admits that comeback has been "probably one of the hardest things I have done".

"Not just physically but mentally, especially going into this year with the qualification competitions," he added.

"You still have doubts in your head, like, 'can I still do this because you have not done it for three years?'

"I remember my first competition when I went on the podium and put my hand up to do this routine, it all felt like I never left again. All the nerves and doubts, they almost disappeared.

"That is the thing I miss most about this sport - the nerves, the sick feeling before the competition and when it is paying off there is just not a feeling like it.

"I remember getting that call to say, 'you are in the team'. I was speechless."