Gymnast Skye Blakely pulls out of Olympic trials following Achilles injury

Blakely came to the Olympic trials as a leading contender to make the U.S. team following a dazzling performance at nationals.

MINNEAPOLIS — Skye Blakely's bid to make the U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics team is over.

The 19-year-old will miss the U.S. Olympic trials after suffering a right Achilles injury during training on Wednesday.

USA Gymnastics confirmed the injury Thursday, just over 24 hours before the women's trials begin.

Blakely arrived at trials as a heavy favorite to make the five-woman team following a standout performance at the U.S. Championships, where she finished second to Simone Biles.

Blakely, who lives and trains in Frisco, Texas just outside of Dallas, was going through her floor exercise routine inside Target Center on Wednesday when her right leg gave way during a tumbling pass. She was in tears as she was helped off the podium and placed in a wheelchair to be evaluated.

The injury comes three years after Blakely tore a ligament in her elbow on the first day of the 2021 U.S. Olympic trials, forcing her out of the competition. Blakely said recently she went to a “dark place” mentally in the aftermath and credited a mental health professional for helping her move forward.

During the U.S. championships earlier this month, Blakely put together four steady and occasionally spectacular routines — capped with the first 15.0 of her career thanks to a Cheng vault in which her surgically repaired elbow held up just fine — to finish with an all-around total of 57.050, better than everyone not named Simone Biles.

Blakely's injury leaves just 15 athletes competing to be on the five-woman U.S. team that figures to be a heavy gold medal favorite in Paris.

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