Gymnastics: Olympic dream over for Ondine Achampong as torn ACL shatters Paris hopes

The 20-year-old was part of the women’s team than won silver at the 2022 World Championships, alongside team golds at the 2023 European Championships and the Commonwealth Games in 2022, where she also claimed two individual silvers.

The Aylesbury Gymnastics Academy athlete took home four titles at the British Championships earlier this year and was on the cusp of her first Olympic team selection, but now faces a long journey back to competition fitness.

She revealed her injury on Instagram, writing: “As most of you know I had to pull out of the European Championships earlier this week.

“I landed a bars dismount at one of our final control competitions at Lilleshall and following an MRI scan it was discovered that I’ve torn my ACL. I feel devastated.

“My competition preparation has been so positive all year and I really felt as ready as I could possibly be leading up to this summer.

“I wanted to share this news today – well ahead of the women’s European Champs starting – to answer any speculation so that the girls in Italy can fully focus on having an incredible competition later this week, I’ll be cheering my girls on from home.”

South Devon’s Abigail Martin, making her major senior championship debut, was previously announced as Achampong’s replacement at this week’s European Championships, with the team selection panel set to convene in May and announce the Paris-bound squad in early June.

Achampong’s injury is another blow for Team GB’s gymnasts, who at the Tokyo 2020 Games secured Great Britain’s first medal since 1928 in a women’s gymnastics team final.

Twin sisters Jessica and Jennifer Gadirova, who were part of that bronze-winning team, have also effectively ruled themselves out of this summer’s Paris Olympics after the former, the 2022 world floor champion, sustained an ACL tear of her own, while Jennifer underwent surgery for an ankle injury.