Romanian star Sandra Izbasa tore her Achilles tendon in training for the Romanian Championships Thursday and will miss next month's World Championships in London, several Romanian news websites are reporting.
The reigning Olympic floor champion, 19, has also fractured a bone in her right foot, the Associated Press reported.
Romanian Gymnastics Federation chairman Adrian Stoica says it will take Izbasa "months, years even, to recover."
Romania named Izbasa to lead the four-member women's World team earlier this month. Other team members are Anamaria Tamirjan, Diana Chelaru and Ana Progras. Olympic beam finalist Gabriela Dragoi was named team alternate.
A decision about who will replace Izbasa will be made after the Romanian Nationals in Buzau, Sport365.ro reported.
Izbasa crashed her second pass on floor, described as a Tsukahara (I'm assuming this means a full-twisting double back in a tuck or pike position), in a scary way, National Team coach Nicolae Forminte said in one report.
"If there is something gratifying, is that it's better mentally because this injury could have been a tragedy and we were all scared," he added.
Izbasa is currently at University Hospital in Bucharest undergoing a medical evaluation. The injury will most likely require surgery, said Mircea Apolzan, Secretary General of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation.
Izbasa became a huge celebrity after being the only Romanian gymnast to win gold in Beijing. She debuted a much-anticipated new floor exercise earlier this season at the Jesolo meet in Italy, but was rumored to have gone back to her 2008 routine.
Sandra Izbasa, 2009 Jesolo, Floor:
Related: Gymnastike has a timely report on how to avoid Achilles tears.
Comments
She actually injured when practicing her second pass on floor, a piked full in, or a Tsukahara(this is how Romanians call the full ins)
Anna -- Thank you. I was a bit unsure of the translation. -- Blythe
I hope they let Dragoi go instead, as it would be very unfair on her to have been team alternate and then not been allowed to step in. Poor Sandra though :(
Why would it take her "years" to recover?
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