Tokyo Olympics 2021 Injuries!

Good day, everyone!

I’m sure a lot of you are watching the Olympics this year, and if you aren’t, that’s OK. I just wanted to take a minute and go over some injuries and crazy moments the 2020-2021 Olympics has brought us. I will not attach pictures (for obvious reasons), but if after reading the article you are curious, I googled everything or watched YouTube videos and even watched it live on TV. I am writing this article to bring more awareness of what it takes to become a world athlete and how easy something can be taken from you by just a fraction of an inch. They spend a lifetime to achieve a medal, and it’s important to support all those who tried out or even made it to the Olympics even if they didn’t get that medal. This is my point of view, anyway. 

So let’s start with some people who were injured trying out for the 2021 Olympics (no order):

  1. Grace Mc Callum – USA- Gymnastics- boxer’s fracture during tryouts
  2. Emily Lee – U.S.A- Gymnastics- ACL injury
  3. Colin Van Wicklen- USA- Gymnastics- injured- withdrew
  4. Harry Coppell- U.K- Pole Vault- Pole bar landed on front teeth
  5. Phil Gaimon- U.S Cycling- Crashed bike resulting in fractured collarbone, 5 broken ribs, partially collapsed lung and broken shoulder blade. 

Athletes who were injured during their game/performance in Tokyo (no order):

  1. Jordan Thompson- USA- Women’s Volleyball- Ankle injury
  2. Connor Fields- USA- BMX- Fell on his bike, brain hemorrhage
  3. Justin Gatlin- US Track and field- hamstring injury
  4. Robin Godel- Rider, Jet Set- Horse- Switzerland- Cross Country- Ligament rupture in right hoof that was irreparable. Horse was put down. 
  5. Sandi Morris- US Pole Vault- Withdrew after landing uncomfortably and breaking her pole. 

These are just some of the injuries that have occurred even with years of training and hard work. Let us remind each other to be kind and supportive to athletes around the world. These sports might be our entertainment, but they are these people’s lives. So be sympathetic and understand that some who have suffered an injury might never be able to compete again and, in worse cases, may never return home (Jet Set). 

By Colie Smith, USS Tiburon At-Large Member

Sources- CNN, Youtube, NYT, Google, NBC Live.