SHAKOPEE, Minn. -- A champion figure skater and University of Minnesota student had to put her dreams to compete in the Olympics on pause after a devastating injury last summer.

Now, she's back on the ice at Shakopee Ice Arena thanks to determination and a physical therapist who put in the extra work to get her there.

Eugenia Garza started her week practicing at Shakopee Ice Arena. She did endless spins, jumps and dips, a moment that felt impossible to get back to last July.

"I was doing a program, one of my routines, and I just hit my toe pick, and I tripped and fell straight on my kneecap," Garza said.

Her journey to represent Mexico, her hometown, at the World University Games came to a complete stop.

"To have all that momentum just stop, just stop and do nothing for three months while you heal," Garza said.

This all could have defeated Garza's spirit and drive, if she was left to recover alone.

"It was really hard to come back. It felt a little hopeless at times, but I had a great support system," she said.

Part of her support system was Hanwen Wong, a physical therapist at M Health Fairview. As a former dancer, Wong knew this sport needed a specific treatment plan to bounce back to peak performance.

"Eugenia is actually my first figure skater [patient]," said Wong, "I did my homework, I watched videos, I asked her as many specific questions as I could, like when you're landing this particular jump, are you on this side of your foot, or the inside, where is your weight?"

Both Wong and Garza commited to healing and being back to peak performance level, and it worked.

"It made me feel a lot more confident that we were going to get me back to a place where I was ready to go compete," Garza said.

Her coach, Lorie Charbonneau, was amazed by her turnaround.

"To see her skating skills and even the spins still at a world-class level, is really remarkable," Charbonneau said.

Next up for Garza is that she'll be competing in the Mexican Open International in May. Her long-term goal is to compete in the 2026 Olympic Games.

Marielle Mohs is thrilled to be telling stories in her home state of Minnesota. She grew up in Eden Prairie and South Minneapolis.

Read more from the original source:

U of M ice skater, recovering from devastating knee injury, has her sights set on Olympic glory - CBS News