For any athlete, winning a medal for their country is the ultimate dream. But when it feels like that country’s federation has stopped supporting them, sometimes they have to take matters into their own hands. Tonya Paulson, one of Sweden’s top gymnasts, has experienced this firsthand. At just 21, she’s already accomplished a lot—she represented Sweden at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, winning a bronze medal in the mixed gymnastics team competition.

She went on to become the national champion in 2019 and 2020, proving her potential time and time again. With three medals at the World Challenge Cup, it’s clear that Tonya could be Sweden’s next big hope for a medal. However, after growing disillusioned with the lack of support from her country’s federation, Tonya has made the difficult decision to switch national allegiances.

Tonya Paulson is all set to change allegiances to achieve her gymnastics dreams

In a statement given on her X account, Tonya Paulsson announced that she would be switching allegiance to Taiwan, which is her mother’s home country, ditching Sweden. She began the statement by saying, “I love gymnastics, and it has been a big part of my life for many years. I have achieved several milestones and dreams, and I definitely have much more to give. “ After this, she thanked the people who have given her opportunities till now, along with her teammates. Finally, Tonya broke the news, saying, “I have decided to change national teams to my mother’s home country—Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)—to continue my journey in elite gymnastics.”

According to the coaches who have long appreciated her talents and believe they could help shape her future, Tonya Paulson’s decision to switch allegiances was influenced by their support. Tonya herself revealed that she had lost faith in the leadership of the Swedish gymnastics team, feeling they wouldn’t back her in reaching her goals. “I have lost my trust in the leadership style of the Swedish national team and do not see that they will support me along the way to achieving my goals. Therefore, I am undergoing the change of sport nationality to give myself the best opportunities to fulfill my dreams and goals,” she explained.

The Swedish federation, with its focus on areas like team selection, elite training, and competition, likely fell short in areas that matter most to Tonya. That’s why she’s making the bold choice to switch to Taiwan, a move that could dramatically alter the trajectory of her career.

This decision comes shortly after another major change—Tonya has also been recruited by the California Golden Bears for their 2025 class, aiming to contribute to their pursuit of a national title. “As a national team member and international elite, Tonya Paulsson has a tremendous amount of experience competing at the highest level,” said co-head coach Crandall-Howell.

“She is recognized by gymnastics fans worldwide for her beautiful form and pristine execution of gymnastics elements. Her energy and optimism are infectious and are sure to have a positive influence. Her openness to new challenges and curiosity about learning is a perfect compliment to the One Day Better mindset. We are thrilled that Tonya has chosen to be a Golden Bear.” Now, Tonya Paulson has set her sights on achieving her dreams, hoping these two major decisions lead her to success. And while her switch of national allegiance is a bold move, she’s not alone—there are plenty of successful examples from athletes who made similar decisions to reach their full potential.

Other gymnasts who have switched their allegiance

Numerous examples of gymnasts changing their countries exist. One of the most recent and one holding much prominence is Kaylia Nemour. Kaylia was regarded as one of the best gymnasts in France; she decided to switch to Algeria to represent the African nation at the Paris Olympics.

This switch occurred due to a dispute between the French administration and her over training sites. Kayla also accused them of hounding her gym in Avoine, run by her family. Her mother, Stephanie Nemour, had spoken up against this, saying, “We have distressed gymnasts here who don’t understand why the federation that is supposed to nurture them is acting this way.”

Kayla, leveraging her dual citizenship, made the bold move to switch to Algeria, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions of her career. She went on to win Olympic gold in uneven bars, making history as the first gymnast to bring a gold medal to Africa. This was a major breakthrough for Kayla, who had felt unappreciated in France.

Tonya Paulson is not the first gymnast to make such a move. Nadia Comaneci, the legendary five-time Olympic gold medalist, switched allegiances from Romania to the USA in 2001. Oksana Chusovitina, who competed for both Uzbekistan and Germany, also won two Olympic medals. These athletes proved that changing national allegiances can lead to incredible success, and Tonya has the potential to follow in their footsteps, carving out her own successful career.