The lead-up to the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials in Minneapolis took a heartbreaking turn as top contender Skye Blakely suffered an Achilles injury during podium training.
Skye Blakely, a 19-year-old gymnast from Texas, injured her right Achilles tendon during a double layout on the floor exercise, USA Gymnastics confirmed Thursday. Blakely, who recently finished second to Simone Biles at the U.S. Championships in Fort Worth, was considered a near-lock for the Paris team.
Despite an excellent training day, Blakely was carried off the competition floor in pain and wheeled out by medical staff. This incident echoes her experience at the Tokyo Olympic trials in 2021, where she withdrew due to an elbow injury.
Blakely, who competed for Team USA at the last two world championships, winning gold in the team event and qualifying for beam finals both years, expressed pride in her performance at Fort Worth. “I see myself practice every day, I know what I can do,” she said. “But to be able to finally put it out there on the floor and show everybody and myself, it really means a lot to me.”
Blakely’s withdrawal opens opportunities for other gymnasts like Kayla DiCello, Jordan Chiles, and reigning Olympic floor champion Jadey Carey.