It was an emotional moment for New Prague senior Ava Bruegger when she was announced as the Class 2A all-around champion at the gymnastics state meet in February.

Bruegger talked excitedly to media members after the meet, a smile stretched broadly across her face the entire time.

To be expected? Sure, but there was more behind Bruegger’s delighted demeanor. And now there’s more to her success. She’s the Star Tribune’s All-Minnesota Gymnast of the Year.

It wasn’t long ago that these outcomes seemed unlikely.

When she was 15, Bruegger started having hearing loss in her left ear. She was diagnosed with enlarged vestibular aqueducts (EVA) in her inner ear, which directly affects balance and spatial relationships.

Her original ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor recommended she give up competitive sports in order to limit further risk to her hearing.

“That was a huge blow,” she said.

A dedicated all-around athlete nearly her entire life — she is also a diver on the swimming team and a pole vaulter come track season — Bruegger sought other options.

As hearing loss in her left ear progressed, she was fitted with a hearing aid, which she called “helpful but not perfect.”

“I still experience frequent drops and fluctuations,” she said. “It affects my balance and air awareness, which is heavily relied on in gymnastics. Diving and pole vaulting, too.”

After she heard numerous other opinions, her current ENT became her “voice of reason,” explaining that she needn’t live in fear.

“Mind over matter has truly been my control through this,” she said. “I wasn’t going to let this define me. I took control and worked harder than anyone I knew. Continuing in sports was important to me.”

Bruegger said winning the all-around state championship was one of her dreams. Before this season, she had stepped away from high school gymnastics for club gymnastics (“I really wanted to challenge myself,” she said) but returned before her senior year having accomplished her goal of reaching a lofty level 10 on the gymnastics ratings scale.

When she won the all-around championship, where she took the gold medal by winning a tiebreaker with teammate Hailey Proshek, Bruegger admitted she was beyond ecstatic.

“In the moment of my name being announced, I was overwhelmed with joy and emotion,” she recalled. “All the work through obstacles and hurdles proved worth it.”

Bruegger plans to continue her athletic career at Winona State, where she hopes to participate in gymnastics and track and field. To date, she hasn’t talked much about her hearing concerns but says she hopes opening up about living with EVA will influence others.

“I want others to be inspired that even with a setback, they can overcome and accomplish their dreams,” she said.