Gymmin' Miel!

Danell Leyva of Miami/Team Hilton HHonors (Universal Gymnastics), has withdrawn from the 2013 Men’s World Championships Team, which was named yesterday following the conclusion of the 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championships.  Leyva, who is recovering from a shoulder injury and has not been able to fully train, stated in his withdrawal letter, “I very much appreciate the opportunity to be, once again, part of the team that will go onto the world stage and represent the United States in the great sport that is gymnastics.  Unfortunately, I have to decline. … We have decided that the right decision for me, to better help the team in the future, is to retract from this competition so that I can heal further and reach my full potential yet again.”

Australian Olympic Trampoline reserve, Shaun Swadling (Newcastle), has been forced to withdraw from his non-travelling reserve commitments after injuring himself at training last night.
Swadling dislocated his knee at training in Adelaide yesterday, and was transported to Flinders Medical Centre where he was assessed and the dislocation was corrected.

Adam Sachs, High Performance Manager for Gymnastics Australia, said Swadling had suffered major soft tissue injury but no bone injury has been sustained.

“Shaun spent the night under observation but is likely to be released this morning following advice from medical staff. Our main priority is focusing on Shaun’s recovery and ensuring he has the proper support,” said Sachs.

Gymnastics Australia will look to name a replacement non-travelling reserve within a week.

Gymnast Louis Smith will be out for up to a month after fracturing his finger.

The British pommel horse specialist, who won bronze on the apparatus at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, suffered the injury on Tuesday after he stubbed his finger on the high bar.

Smith said: "I could be annoyed but it won't get me anywhere. I need to stay positive."

But the complex nature of his injury, which affected knee ligaments and the sciatic nerve, led to several complications in the days after the accident.  

"The question that was posed at Christmas was whether or not Thomas would participate at the Olympic Games this summer. A few days later, the doctors suddenly told us that they would put in every effort to save his leg," Mickael Bouhail told a news conference.

His leg was saved but only after some of the muscles were removed.

"Initially, Thomas arrived for a knee operation and hospitalisation for several days. He will have stayed for six weeks and will have undergone 15 operations to the block under general anaesthetic," his brother said, adding that a "delayed diagnosis" led to "disastrous consequences for Thomas."

After leaving hospital on February 4, the double European vault champion remains "in shock".

Having had no choice but to withdraw from the London Games this summer, the future of France's first and only world champion -- Bouhail won gold in the vault in 2010 -- remains in doubt.

"A few weeks ago, we were light years away from asking the question, if he would resume gymnastics or not. From now on, where his leg has been saved, all hope is permitted," Mickael Bouhail said.