Tyesha Mattis always had her sights set on making it big in artistic gymnastics.

In fact, it could be said that the British-born gymnast was well on the path to success — being a six-time British champion, two-time English champion, Australian youth Olympic champion and European Youth Olympic medallist — before injuries derailed her budding career and forced her to step away from the sport in 2018.

Though retired, Mattis stilled yearned for competition, and much like a hellish fire, her passion and desire for a comeback burned fiercely, particularly after watching the spectacular display by Jamaica’s track and field athletes and lone gymnast Danusia Francis at the delayed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Her heart reached out for a piece of the Jamaican experience and it wouldn’t be long before she had it.

With her parents being Jamaican and the British-born Francis announcing her retirement, the window of opportunity blew open for Mattis, along with her sister, China, to switch allegiance to Jamaica.

And both had their first assignment sporting the black, green and gold at the recently-concluded Pan American Gymnastic Championships in Brazil.

Now on the path to being one of, if not Jamaica’s leading female gymnasts, Mattis, 23, is in a happy place doing what she loves, while representing a country that she has a high regard for.

“My mum used to be a gymnast so when I was younger she saw that I had a lot of energy and so she enrolled me in gymnastics at the age of three and I loved it from day one, so my passion for the sport grew from there.

“Representing Jamaica was always an option for me, but I didn’t jump at it right away until after I stopped training for a while and thought I needed a big change in my life. So right then, I thought there was an opportunity to get back into doing what I love and so I wanted to make a comeback representing Jamaica with honour on the world stage,” Mattis told the Jamaica Observer from her home in London.

“And now that I am a part of Team Jamaica, the president, Nicole Grant-Brown, and the team members I have met have made it an extremely enjoyable and encouraging experience. So it is indeed a great honour for me. I must admit that Toni-Ann [Williams] was a big inspiration for me as she’s such an amazing gymnast and I love her style and her personality,” she added.

Such was Mattis’s dexterity at the PanAm Championships that it seemed she hadn’t missed a beat, as she proudly displayed her mental toughness, coupled with the fact that she has returned a better, faster and stronger gymnast.

She secured the country’s lone qualification to the World Gymnastics Championships later this year, as well as for the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games next year.

Mattis tallied 48.467 All-Around, with scores of 12.867 on vault, 13.000 on uneven bars, 11.333 on the balance beam and 11.267 on her floor routine and was the first of 11 All-Around gymnasts to qualify for the World Championships.

Her sister China, Jamilia Duffus and Danyella Richards, as well as members of the male team — Michael Reid, Caleb Faulk and Matthew McClymont, also produced creditable performances.

That taste of international competition after a protracted hiatus has left Mattis yearning for more. Unflinching in her desire, she remains resolute in her press toward the goal to make it big for Jamaica.

“For me, it was a big experience just to get out there again. I am very proud of how I competed and placed on my very first appearance back on the world stage. So it was just an amazing experience to represent my country and meet my teammates from Jamaica,” Mattis said.

“I am just grateful to a part of the team and get this experience and I can’t wait to get out there at Worlds and show everybody my upgraded routines. So I am very much looking forward to it,” she noted.

But for now, her next assignment will be at the July 28 to August 8 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where she is expected to be joined by Faulk, Reid, and Richards.

“I’m very excited about Commonwealth Games, I’m just going to go out there and do my best and whatever the result, I’m still going to be proud of myself because again, I’m just grateful to get out there with a Jamaican flag on my back,” she stressed.

After that, the motivated, focused and talented Mattis will be heading back to the field to continue her conditioning, strength and endurance training with her eyes firmly set on the World Championships and possibly the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

And like every individual in their respective field of endeavour, Mattis is optimistic of obtaining that one award which is considered the epitome of recognition and success, and for her that is a coveted gold medal.

“My overall goals and expectation as a member of the Jamaican team is to represent my country and to do my country proud. I also would love to get to Olympic Games that would be my dream and if I accomplish that then I will feel complete becoming a Olympian,” she said.

Still, should she achieve that feat to join Francis and Williams as Jamaica’s Olympic gymnast, Mattis doesn’t consider herself as one to take up the mantle from the recently retired Francis.

“I don’t put myself under pressure to be the best person or to be better than anyone else, I just go out there and do what I know my body can do and I always try my best. So for now I will continue to work hard and remain focused and once the (Olympic) opportunity presents itself, I will take it with both hands and give it my best shot,” the cheerful Mattis ended.