Horrifying moment an Auburn University gymnast, 22, breaks both of her legs in a fall while performing her floor routine forcing her to retire from the sport
- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
- Samantha Cerio was making her first pass during her floor routine on Friday
- She attempted a handspring double front but fell during the tough blind landing
- The crowd gasp as Cerio hit the floor hard and screamed out in agonizing pain
- Received a standing ovation while being carried out of the stadium in a stretcher
- Cerio announced the injury has forced her to retire from the sport
An Auburn University gymnast broke both of her legs in a horrific fall during a competition this weekend, forcing her to end her career in the sport.
Samantha Cerio, 22, was making her first pass during her floor routine at the Baton Rouge Regional on Friday when she fell on the blind landing.
The crowd gasped as Cerio, a senior on the team, attempted a handspring double front but fell to the mat and screamed out in pain.
Cerio announced on Sunday that she would be retiring from the sport following the gruesome injury.
Auburn University gymnast Samantha Cerio broke both of her legs after suffering a horrific fall during competition this weekend
Cerio was making her first pass during her floor routine at the Baton Rouge Regional on Friday when she fell on the blind landing
The crowd gasped as Cerio, a senior on the team, attempted a handspring double front but fell to the mat and screamed out in pain
‘I think she may be hurt,’ one of the competition’s commentators said as doctors ran to help.
‘It looked like that ankle came down very awkwardly and she is obviously in some pain.’
Cerio reportedly dislocated both of her knees and broke both of her legs.
She was carted out of the arena on a stretcher with air casts on both of her legs as the crowd gave her a standing ovation.
‘It was pretty tough to watch,’ Auburn coach Jeff Graba told NOLA.com. ‘She’s a trooper. The last thing she said was, “Go help the girls.”‘
Cerio later took to her Instagram page and said Friday had been her ‘final night as a gymnast’
The Tigers rallied for Cerio (pictured center) for the rest of Friday’s event, earning their second-highest overall score all season
Cerio later took to her Instagram page and said that Friday had been her ‘final night as a gymnast’.
‘After 18 years I am hanging up my grips and leaving the chalk behind. I couldn’t be prouder of the person that gymnastics has made me to become. It’s taught me hard work, humility, integrity, and dedication, just to name a few,’ she wrote.
‘It’s given me challenges and road blocks that I would have never imagined that has tested who I am as a person.’
‘It may not have ended the way I had planned, but nothing ever goes as planned.’
The Tigers rallied for Cerio for the rest of Friday’s event, earning their second-highest overall score all season.
Cerio reportedly dislocated both of her knees and broke both of her legs in the fall. She was carted out of the arena on a stretcher with air casts on both of her legs as the crowd gave her a standing ovation
They advanced into Saturday’s Regional Final against Louisiana State University, Minnesota, and Utah, but finished fourth and fell short of advancing to nationals.
‘I think we were out of gas,’ Graba said. ‘Emotionally spent. But I thought the girls fought hard. They did a great job.’
Cerio may have a long road to recovery, but she’s also got an exciting future ahead off the mat.
The senior, who was named SEC co-scholar athlete of the year, will graduate this year with an aerospace engineering degree.
Cerio is getting married in Alabama this June and will then head to Seattle to begin working for Boeing.
Cerio may have a long road to recovery, but she’s also got an exciting future ahead off the mat. She will graduate this year with an aerospace engineering degree