Olympic Gymnastics: Ellie Downie bravely battles on after suffering neck injury
Last Updated: 07/08/16 11:43pm
Ellie Downie gave her fans and team-mates a scare when she hurt her neck during a gymnastics routine during the qualifying competition at the Rio Olympics.
The 17-year-old Brit was completing a tumble during her floor routine when she seemed to land awkwardly on her head.
She continued on for a few seconds before stopping mid-routine, holding her head in her hands in dismay and feeling her neck.
Medical staff and British team coaches ran to her assistance but Downie managed to walk out of the stadium without help.
I crunched my neck and felt it crack a little bit. I tried to carry on but felt a little bit dizzy. I panicked.
Ellie Downie
It was the third of four rotations for the British gymnast who had already performed on the uneven bars and beam.
She bravely continued to compete on the final apparatus the vault, as Britain bid for a first women's team medal since 1928.
The youngster said: "I'm okay. Basically I took off my tumble rotation too slow.
"I crunched my neck and felt it crack a little bit. I tried to carry on but felt a little bit dizzy. I panicked a bit.
"I knew four gymnasts are allowed to compete and three scores count, so I said to myself 'just stop'.
"When they took me out I said 'I really, really want to compete'. They said 'don't do two vaults' and I said 'if I'm going to do one I might was well do two'."
Her team-mate Amy Tinkler added: "I was scared for her but I'm glad she made the right decision to stop.
"We all pulled together to support each other. I think that, when we come back for the team final, we're all just going to enjoy it, and go stronger than today."
