Skye Blakely was one of the top contenders to represent the United States in gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She was robbed of those chances by an ill-timed training injury just days before Team USA's Olympic trials.
Blakely suffered an Achilles injury while preparing for the trials Wednesday. She had to be carried off the floor, which put her status for the final Olympic qualifying event into question.
Here's the latest news about Blakely's injury and how it will impact Team USA going forward.
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Skye Blakely injury update
Blakely is set to miss the 2024 Olympic trials because of the Achilles injury she suffered on Wednesday. USA Gymnastics announced the news in a social media post on Thursday.
During Podium Training on Wednesday, Skye Blakely sustained a right Achilles injury and will be unable to compete in Olympic Trials.
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) June 27, 2024
We are cheering for Skye in her recovery!
Blakely being ruled out after her injury isn't a surprise. Her injury was believed to be serious, as she was carried off the floor after being tended to by medical staff, according to the Washington Post. She later exited the facility in a wheelchair with her head in her hands.
Because she isn't participating in the Olympic trials, Blakely will not be eligible to qualify for the 2024 Summer Games. The Olympic Selection Committee only allows for gymnasts to petition to qualify if they are dealing with an illness or an "extenuating circumstance," per the Washington Post.
Blakely was a top contender for a spot on the Olympic team after finishing second all-around at the U.S. Gymnastics championships earlier in June. Her performance at that event made her the favorite to join Simone Biles and Shilese Jones as the team's three best all-around gymnasts; her lack of weaknesses on any of the four apparatus made her an ideal fit — and likely a safe producer — for the roster.
Blakely had to put together a solid showing at the Olympic trials to stay inside the roster bubble. Instead, she will shift her focus to her recovery while Team USA assesses how it will replace Blakely on their five-woman roster for the Paris Games.
MORE: How qualifying works for gymnasts at Team USA trials
Who could replace Skye Blakely on Team USA's roster?
The good news for Team USA is that it has plenty of depth it can use to replace Blakely. Three all-around competitors stand out from the rest and could emerge at the Olympic trials as the favorites for the final spot on the team.
Below is a breakdown of each option:
Kayla DiCello
DiCello was an alternate for the 2021 Olympics, but the 22-year-old may be the natural replacement for Blakely.
DiCello posted the third-best all-around score at the 2024 U.S. Championships and showed few weaknesses in her game. She scored at least 13.850 points in seven of her eight events, with the lone exception being her 12.600 in her second go on the uneven bars.
That said, DiCello earned second place overall in the floor exercise, an area in which Team USA could use extra support. Her strengths may align more with the needs of Team USA than some of the other top replacement options, as Suni Lee will help on the beam and bars.
DiCello still needs to put together a strong performance at the Olympic trials, but she looks like the frontrunner to replace Blakely before the tournament.
Jordan Chiles
Will Chiles make it onto the five-woman team for the 2024 Olympics? That will be the biggest question entering the Olympic Trials.
Chiles has Olympic experience and has posted strong results lately. She finished third at the Core Hydration Classic and fifth at the U.S. Championships in the all-around competition to prove she has what it takes to make her second career Olympic team.
Chiles' best event is the uneven bars, which could bode well for her chances of making the team. Suni Lee only recently returned to that apparatus after spending time away from the sport nursing a kidney disease, so Chiles would be a high-end insurance policy behind her.
Chiles will need a strong showing at the Olympic trials, but she is neck-and-neck with DiCello in the race for the final spot. DiCello may have a slight lead right now, but Chiles has the talent needed to flip the script.
MORE: How Suni Lee overcame rare kidney disease to fight for Olympic berth
Leanne Wong
Wong is a star college gymnast who has logged perfect 10s eight times during her time at Florida. This has come across all four disciplines and perfectly demonstrates her well-rounded game.
| Discipline | No. of perfect 10s (at Florida) |
| Uneven bars | 4 |
| Balance beam | 2 |
| Vault | 1 |
| Floor exercise | 1 |
Wong may not dominate any one event in particular, but her consistency and high floor are akin to Blakely's. That could help Wong earn some consideration even after her eighth-place all-around finish at the U.S. Championships.
Either way, Wong will be a gymnast to watch. She will need to outperform DiCello and Chiles to make it onto Team USA, but if she doesn't qualify, her well-rounded game should make her an excellent alternate choice.
That said, if Wong merely stars in her best events — the bars and beam — that could make Wong redundant. Why? Because those are also Suni Lee's best disciplines. Thus, it will be very important for Wong to show well on at least one of the vault or floor to challenge for a spot with the team.
