Agencies
Rio de Janeiro, August 7: Mishaps occurred frequently at the Rio Olympics gymnastics area with even the top Japanese gymnast Koi Uchimura suffering a horrendous fault. But none was as horrendous and excruciatingly painful as suffered by French gymnast Samir Ait Said here Saturday.
The French gymnast’s Olympics hopes ended in a single moment after he severely broke his left leg while landing on a vault. The leg snapped in such a manner that the entire arena heard the sound of the bone snapping. As he crumpled to the floor, Said writhed in agony while medical officials tended to him in front of a shocked crowd.
After a delay of several minutes, he was eventually wheeled out and raised one arm to acknowledge the loud ovation he received from the crowd.
Several viewers watching on television took to social media to express their shock after the incident was broadcast live, with many detailing the loudness of the ‘crack’.
The injury means Said will leave the Olympics prematurely, having also been expected to compete in the men’s parallel bars, the individual all-round, the team all-round, floor exercise, rings and the pommel horse.
The 26-year-old, who competed at the 2015 World Championships in Glasgow, won gold on the rings at 2013’s European Championships and then silver in the same discipline in 2015.
