MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JUNE 26: Skye Blakely practices on the balance beam in the Women's U.S. Olympic ... [+]
Heartbreaking news out of Minneapolis for 19-year-old Skye Blakely. In a statement, USA Gymnastics’ confirmed that “during podium training on Wednesday, Skye Blakely sustained a right Achilles injury and will be unable to compete in Olympic Trials.”
In Wednesday’s U.S. Olympic Trials training session, Blakely sustained a then-undisclosed injury on one of her tumbling passes, a difficult double-layout. Gymcastic, a leading gymnastics news source, reported that Blakely had been carried off the floor and wheeled out of the arena in a wheelchair.
This injury could not come at a worse time for Blakely. After a stellar second-place finish at the U.S. National Championships, the Texas native was a clear favorite to make her first Olympic team and could have contended for gold on the balance beam.
USA's Skye Blakely competes during the Women's Balance Beam final at the World Gymnastics ... [+]
A devastating development, this is not Blakely’s first experience with a major injury at America’s biggest gymnastics stage. The two-time World Champion and beam finalist also withdrew from the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials after incurring a major injury in the first day of competition.
In a freak accident on a “timer” warm-up vault, Blakely sustained a UCL tear on the first night of the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. The then-16-year-old recounted the period following the withdrawal as a “low point” in her life, detailing subsequent struggles with mental health to Inside Gymnastics.
While Blakely employed a mental health coach to rebound from her struggles, three years later and with multiple medals in tow, Blakely tragically finds herself in similar standing. This time around, the blow feels exponentially more painful. In 2021, Skye was an athlete on the periphery, unlikely to make the team. But in 2024, she was virtually guaranteed to earn one of five spots on the Paris Olympic team.
With her withdrawal, the door opens for alternate athletes to make their case on the team. Notable names on the cusp include Jordan Chiles, Leanne Wong, and Kayla DiCello, who were also vying for top all-around finishes.
Though fans are devastated to hear of her withdrawal, we wish Skye a speedy recovery as she determines the next steps in her career, including what’s likely a bright future with the University of Florida’s gymnastics team. While her Paris Olympics push may have been cut short, fans hope that Blakely’s intricate yet beautiful gymnastics will grace the stage in the near future.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - JUNE 02: (L-R) Second place all around winner Skye Blakely, first place all ... [+]
