Things may not have gone exactly how Barbados artistic gymnasts Olivia "Storm' Kelly and Anya Pilgrim would have hoped, but both still had some significant positives to boast from their FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium.

An historic Olympic Games qualification was the main target for the American-based Kelly and Pilgrim, and though they came up short in that regards, both took heart from their respective performances on Monday. 

Pilgrim, who was making her World Championships debut, welcomed the fact that she was able to overcome certain obstacles among the minor successes worth celebrating.

She tallied 46.500 All-Around, with scores of 13.100 on vault, 10.700 on uneven bars, 11.300 on the balance beam and 11.400 on her floor routine. 

"I wholly enjoyed the experience. I hit all of my routines this time, even the skill that has been gave me some trouble at PanAms. So even though I did not have much preparation, I was able to do well, and I am happy with the outcome and the support I got from family and others on the island which makes me even prouder," Pilgrim told SportsMax.tv.

"I believe my score was an improvement from PanAms but of course the judging is much tighter at an event like World Championships. So, again, I am delighted that I was able to hit my beam routine which has been my troublesome event after my injury last year," the Jenny Rowland-coached gymnast added.

Given the fact that her inclusion in the Championships was somewhat last minute, the 18-year-old Pilgrim says her performance speaks volumes of her scope for improvement. 

She pointed out that it will serve as a springboard for her to attain other goals and ambitions she has set for the season, particularly with her University of Florida team.

 "I am just going to soak up the atmosphere here in Belgium while I reflect on the experience before returning to Florida to resume training for my NCAA season. This season, the goal, of course, would be to win a National Championship with my team, and achieve some personal bests of my own," she declared.

"And since I had to prepare my routines so early, I now have built up my endurance and stamina to complete routines on each event way before my season which will help me a lot. So now I can focus more on the details," Pilgrim shared. 

For Kelly, it was her second appearance on the World Championships stage, and she beamed about the prospects, as she also expressed delight about improvements from last year's outing.

The 17-year-old, coached by Ashley Umberger, had scores of 13.200 on vault, 11.666 on uneven bars, 11.933 on the balance beam and 11.700 on her floor routine for an All-Around total of 48.499 for 75th overall. She rose three places higher than the 78th position she achieved last year.

"They took the top 14 girls, who are not on a team and the girl that placed 14th has a 49.965 and I finished with a 48.499 which means I basically just missed out. But even though I didn’t qualify here at Worlds, there are a few other opportunities I can use to qualify, but that depends on if Barbados will send me," Kelly explained. 

"The experience was amazing overall. I’m not exactly sure what the plan is now, but if those opportunities are presented to me by Barbados, I will take them gladly. If not, I remain contented with how my elite season ended this year and I’m excited to start my new chapter in college next summer," she noted.

The stage is set, and Olivia “Storm” Kelly is raring to go with hopes that she will produce something special, on this her second appearance at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships.

It is a moment the Barbadian gymnast has worked hard for all season, and as the September 30 to October 8 championships fast approaches, an Olympic Games berth which is among the spoils, is very much weighing on her mind.

Simply put, Kelly has her sight set on becoming the first gymnast to represent the Eastern Caribbean Island at the global multi-sport showpiece, and achieving such a feat would not only be a dream come true but would most certainly propel her budding career to higher heights.

While the expectations may be lofty, they are by no means impossible and given the experience gained from last year's championships, Kelly believes she is well positioned to prove more competitive on this occasion.

But for now, the 17-year-old is basking in the culture and scenery of Antwerp, a port city on Belgium's River Scheldt, almost like a calm before the proverbial storm.

"Belgium is so beautiful. So far, I’ve been able to walk around Antwerp a little to enjoy the scenery and there is just so much to do. The lifestyle here is very admirable and the food and people are incredible.

"I’ve adjusted pretty well to the six-hour time difference and have also been in training which has been going well since I arrived. So I am just making the most of the time before I jump into competition which I am really looking forward to," Kelly told SportsMax.tv from her base in Belgium.

One key component for the American-based Kelly is the fact that she will have compatriot Anya Pilgrim competing alongside her on this occasion, and that has not only added to her excitement, but more importantly, offers a slight boost in confidence.

The American-born Pilgrim, another talented gymnast, was a late call-up for the Championships after a qualified athlete opted not to take up their spot.

"Having Anya here has definitely made me more excited. It’s great to have another athlete/friend with me who is going through the exact same situation I am, as we are both seeking to be the first to gymnast to qualify and, by extension represent Barbados the Olympic Games," Kelly shared.

That said, Kelly pointed out that they have not only fed off each other’s energy building back up strength and endurance, while adding elements to increase their difficulty scores, but most importantly, ensuring they are both mentally and physically ready to rise to the occasion.

"Both of us are doing pretty well mentally and physically and are extremely excited to compete. Since it’s my second time at Worlds, I feel like I really know what I’m doing this time and I’m excited to explore this gorgeous place and compete for Barbados," she noted.

Beyond the excitement –which is understandable for any athlete returning on what is the biggest stage of her career at present –there is a serious side to Kelly, and she is focused on ensuring her performance quality and the details of her routine are on point.

"Making it to the Olympics would mean so much to me. Ever since I started competing in Gymnastics it’s been my long-term goal. For a while I gave up on that dream thinking it was impossible. But now, I’m just so grateful to have even made it this far and have the opportunity to live out my dream," the bubbly athlete ended.

November 30, 2022 is forever etched in Anya Pilgrim's mind. It is one of the scariest days of her life and a day when all her fears and thoughts will always weigh heavily on her heart.

On that fateful day, Pilgrim, while preparing to represent University of Florida in Artistic Gymnastics, suffered a freak accident, which derailed her career progress, as she took her time to recover.

Now almost one year on, the American-born Pilgrim, who represents Barbados, has not only grown stronger, but is also one who takes her life and sport seriously, as her unwavering commitment to fulfilling a passion she always dreamed of, is clear for all to see.

"This past season had some ups and downs. At the beginning of the season after signing to the University of Florida, I had fell and landed on my neck and was out of the gym for about six weeks and had to recover from a concussion. It was not an easy road. I had to overcome my fears of injury to be able to even step back into the sport," Pilgrim told SportsMax.tv.

"Luckily I did, and only a week after I started training again, I decided to compete at my next competition where I achieved my personal best score of a 9.95 on the vault. So, these highs and lows have taught me that I am strong enough and more than capable of rise above any circumstances and come out successful," she added.

Pilgrim, who previously represented the United States national team in 2019, qualified to represent Barbados through her grandparents, who not only instilled life lessons to assist in her craft, but continues to inspire her path toward a fulfilling career.

"Both of my grandparents were athletes and represented Barbados in their respective sports, so I always looked up to them since they were high level athletes and wanted to follow in their footsteps, which I am now proudly doing," Pilgrim shared.

The 18-year-old, who earned a silver medal in the all-around competition at the United States National championships, along with a top five finish at the Nastia Liukin Cup, first donned the Barbados colours at PanAm championships in Colombia and from there, her appetite for more competition with the Caribbean Island became insatiable.

"It was also the first time Barbados was able to have a team at an event in gymnastics. I loved the experience and competing with my teammates. I was overall pleased with my performance, even though I had a mistake on one of the apparatuses, but considering I went to the competition right after Nationals, I did well, as the travelling resulted in missed training sessions," she said.

Pilgrim's performance at the PanAm Championships earned her an alternate for the World Gymnastics Championships in Budapest, and as fate would have, one of the qualified athletes has declined their spot and that opened the door for her to join Olivia "Storm" Kelly, as Barbados representatives in Antwerp.

The championship is scheduled to begin on September 30 and end on October 8.

Pilgrim knows all too well that this call up to fill the gap represents an opportunity to not only strut her stuff on one of gymnastics biggest stage, but also to possibly qualify for the Olympic Games, she is determined to make the most of it.

In fact, Pilgrim, having taken lessons from her PanAm performance, is hoping to polish up those errors to bring more success on this occasion. 

"I am very grateful to have another opportunity to represent Barbados and am really looking forward to getting to share the experience with Olivia. We all had a great time at PanAm so I’m glad we will have another chance to not only compete together, but possibly create some history for Barbados," Pilgrim declared.

"Unlike PanAm, I am hoping to do much better with my routimes and just be present and enjoy every moment of the championships. When my mind is clear I perform at my best and I also added in a couple of different skills to help increase my scores. So, I'm really looking forward to it," she added from her base in Belgium.

While qualifying for next year’s Olympic Games in Paris, remains her biggest goal and ambition, Pilgrim pointed out that just getting a chance to parade her skills at the World Championships, would suffice, if her dream doesn't come to fruition.

"Honestly, I would love to win a National Championship at the University of Florida, that is one of my biggest goals, along with being at the World Championships, which I am now. If I were to qualify for an Olympic Games, it would be icing on the cake of a fulfilling career," she ended.