A star gymnast was rushed to hospital screaming in agony as she broke both her legs and dislocated both her knees in a horror fall.
Samantha Cerio, a student from Auburn University in Alabama, was competing in the semifinals of NCAA gymnastics regional event when the horrifying injury occurred, after the young gymnast attempted a handspring double-front with a blind landing on her first tumbling pass.
Here's Samantha performing an amazing routine earlier this year:Falling awkwardly, Cerio collapsed in agony, and was soon stretchered off with air casts on both her legs. Auburn’s coach Jeff Graba was reluctant to describe the extent of Cerio's injuries, but admitted to nola.com that the fall was "pretty tough" to watch.
"It was pretty tough to watch. She’s a trouper. The last thing she said was, ‘Go help the girls.’ The girls rallied around her. They’re doing this for her right now. I gave her a hug, told her I hugged her before she left and said we’d catch back up tonight."
Caution: the video below contains graphic scenes of injury:"We weathered some adversity. I think we’re a really good team. All that did was prove it," Graba added, while Cerio's team mate Abby Milliet used Cerio's injury as a rallying cry, helping to galvanise the team:
"Y’all. I know we want to feel sad for Sam right now, but this is not what she would have wanted. Sam has put everything into this and she’s going to want us to give everything. This is our new fire."
Following the tournament and her injury, Samantha Cerio took to Instagram to say that the student, who has accepted an offer to work at Boeing upon her graduation in May, would no longer be performing gymnastics, paying tribute to Auburn University for the "privilege" of being part of the team.
"Friday night was my 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. 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.
Thank you Auburn family for giving me a home and a chance to continue doing the sport that will always be my first love. I am honored to have had the privilege to represent the navy and orange AU for the past 4 years with my team by my side."
After the horrifying injury, Cerio's team mates rallied and kept their focus to secure a place in the regional finals. But at the tournament the next day, Auburn finished fourth, which brought an end to their season.
