Hours before competing in her first Olympic Games, the Mexican gymnast Natalia Escalera She confessed the unfortunate accident she had suffered the day before, in the last training session prior to the women’s qualification Paris 2024.
“Unfortunately yesterday in the last training session I tore the plantar ligament of my left leg, where I already had another tear in my calf as well,” revealed Escalera, one of the great hopes for the future of the artistic gymnastics mexicana.
Natalia Escalera’s Olympic dream was shattered before her time, but she was still determined to compete in the event with the least impact on her leg. After working so hard to get to the Olympic Games, she wanted to at least compete in the Bercy Arena.
“It hurts me a lot not to be able to do the all-around as I would have liked, sadly the doctors told me not to compete. But, despite all that, I’m going to compete on bars!” she announced in a post on social media.
“I didn’t come this far to avoid being on the biggest stage in the world. Only God knows why he does things, but I’m here and I’m going to fight until the end.”
Despite her injury, Natalia Escalera achieved the best score of any Mexican gymnast on the uneven bars. Her image after the most difficult moment, the exit, in tears and needing the help of one of the team’s coaches to leave amidst the applause of her teammates, won over the Mexican public.
A show of courage from a talented gymnast to earn another chance at the Olympic Games in the future.
