Carried of on a Wheelchair American Gymnast Makes Painful Admission Over Major Setback

Qualifying for the Olympics is every athlete’s dream. With years of hard work and sweat, it requires a monumental effort from an athlete to make it to the Olympic trials. However, sometimes these dreams can also end prematurely. And more times than not, an injury is to blame for this heartbreak. It has happened to many athletes. And it is also the reason why a Florida Gators gymnast couldn’t qualify for Paris 2024.

Still wondering who this is? Well, it is Skye Blakely, of course. The 20-year-old mat sensation was set to represent Team USA in the city of love. That is, until a freak injury derailed her whole journey. With the US trials just a day away, the US gymnastics realm was buzzing in anticipation with innumerable possibilities for Blakely. Unfortunately, during podium training before the trials, Blakely tore her Achilles.

While performing a routine on the floor, Blakely landed a pass and immediately fell on the floor. Sobbing in pain, the then-19-year-old was escorted out in a wheelchair. Now, with any other athlete, such a heartbreak would have been difficult to take. But Skye Blakely is a born champion. Thus, the Gators’ star went back to the drawing board to redeem herself.

And guess what? Cut to February 2025, and Skye Blakely is back! Within a gap of seven months, Blakely is eyeing her spot in the LA2028 Olympics. But despite her trying to shrug off the disappointment, the heartbreak does weigh heavy. In a recent interaction with Olympics.com, Blakely doubled down on her painstaking experience from last year.

“It was definitely devastating in the moment, knowing just how hard I’d worked to get to that point and how ready I was and felt,” said Blakely. She further added, “So, having such an unforeseen… injury was super devastating and heartbreaking.“ The 20-year-old further opined that in her mind, she was sure about how prepared she was for the Olympics.

Thus, having come so close to fulfilling her dreams, Skye Blakely does not want to give up on it so easily. Thus, she has chosen the hard path of toiling and sweating even more to reach her goals. “Knowing that I was that close, I don’t want to give up,” said a gritty Blakely. 

Skye Blakely makes a triumphant return to the NCAA

She is also not ruling out the possibility of competing in Elite gymnastics this season. However, having faced significant challenges with her health earlier, Blakely wants to approach her future with utmost caution. Thankfully, with her injury now completely healed, Skye Blakely has already made a thumping return to the NCAA circuit. 

Skye Blakely made her Florida Gators fans heave a sigh of relief recently. Announcing her return to mainstream gymnastics, Blakely took center stage for the Gators. With Florida going up against Nebraska, Northern Illinois, and Michigan State on Hype Night, Skye Blakely announced her return in style. Coming back on the uneven bars, Blakely proved that all the hype is worth it. 

She scored a thumping 9.725 to establish her dominance as she aims for more gymnastics accolades down the line. In a conversation with Olympics.com, Blakely revealed that after uneven bars, a balance beam might also be an option this season. However, she was not very certain about her chances all around.

“I just want to see how each month progresses—how I’m feeling and how my Achilles is doing. When it gets closer to summertime, I’ll start making some plans based on how I’m feeling,” Blakely concluded. Thus, with things getting better for Skye Blakely, it remains to be seen how things pan out for the gymnastics in the future.