Less than a month after winning the NCAA Championship, LSU gymnast Konnor McClain participated in the Core Hydration Classic on Saturday.
After turning in a stellar routine on the balance beam, McClain, 19, came up lame during floor warmups. She had to be carried off the mat, and the eventual news was not good.
According to The Athletic’s Dana O’Neil, USA gymnastics shared that McClain tore her left Achilles.
The Las Vegas, Nev. native has returned to the mat area on crutches with her left lower leg heavily bandaged.
Breaking: USA gym confirms Konnor McClain has torn her Achilles. Absolutely gutting news.
— Dana O’Neil (@DanaONeilWriter) May 19, 2024
McClain was a key contributor on the beam, uneven bars and floor for LSU this season. Sadly, she’s dealt with injuries before, missing the 2022 World Championships due to a back injury that eventually required surgery.
However, she had rekindled her love for gymnastics and was on a good path in the sport, thanks in large part to her year at LSU, she told Olympics.com recently.
“I feel like now – obviously, college matures you and makes you grow up a bit, but I feel like I was already very mature last year just because everything that’s happened in my life – but, now, I just feel like a completely different person,” McClain said. “I have a very different look on life, so I feel like I’ve just changed completely and I feel like I’m brighter now, there’s a light in me.
“The light wasn’t there, it was very dim last year.”
Prayers to McClain for a speedy and full recovery.