Skye Blakely: Comeback Kid Eyes 2028 Olympics

Skye Blakely is setting her sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics following a challenging journey marked by significant injuries. Blakely, who was a strong contender for the Paris 2024 team, ruptured her right Achilles tendon in 2024 during training, just two days before the Olympic Trials. This injury followed an earlier elbow ligament tear that required Tommy John surgery, which she overcame to win world championship medals in 2022 and 2023.

Her return to elite competition has been a testament to her perseverance. After her Achilles injury, Blakely made a measured comeback, competing on bars and beam at the 2025 U.S. Championships. She successfully returned to NCAA competition for the University of Florida in January 2025. Now, at the 2026 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, Blakely is competing on all four apparatus for the first time since her Achilles injury, signaling her full recovery and readiness for elite competition.

Blakely's journey embodies resilience, with her sights now firmly set on 2028. She aims to become the first U.S. female gymnast since 1988 to make her Olympic debut at an age older than her first Olympic Trials appearance. This pursuit is fueled by the determination she has shown throughout her career, overcoming physical challenges to pursue her passion at the highest level.