French star Thomas Bouhail is likely to miss the London Olympics after fracturing his tibia-fibula in training this week, French newspaper Le Figaro is reporting.
The 2010 World vault champion, 25, has already undergone surgery on his leg, according to Le Figaro, though the injury has yet to be confirmed by the French Gymnastics Federation. But Bouhail is not expected to heal in time to compete in London next summer, which the paper describes as "an enormous blow for the French delegation which thereby loses a big chance at a medal."
According to the French gymnastics site Gymnet, Bouhail sustained the injury after a bad fall off high bar in training.
The year does not dawn auspiciously for French gymnastics, which announced the cancellation of the Paris World Cup a few days ago. The French men finished ninth at the World Championships in Tokyo, and though they have a good shot at advancing to the Olympics as a team, the loss of Bouhail -- who anchors vault and floor -- weakens their chances.
After winning silver on vault in Beijing in 2008 and securing France's first ever World gold in 2010, Bouhail finished fourth on vault this year in Tokyo. During the qualifying round, he stuck both of his vaults, one of the more impressive feats at the 2011 Worlds. In event finals, he stuck his first attempt, a Dragulescu, only to take several steps back on his Tsuk double pike second vault, taking himself out of medal contention.
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