For the Georgia Gym Dogs, Saturday’s meet against Arkansas was the best of times, and the worst of times — at exactly the same time.
Senior Katie Heenan received a perfect 10 for her bar routine en route to capturing her first all-around title of the season. Heenan, who has battled injuries for the past two years, is looking strong heading into her final round of NCAA post-season gigs, according to the Gym Dogs’ website.
“If there is anyone who deserves this it would be Katie,” [Georgia Associate Coach Jay] Clark said. “She has been the heart and soul of everything we’ve done here. Getting her back for the all-around gives us a big boost.”
A big boost indeed. But it looks like Georgia will be heading into the post-season without junior Courtney Kupets.
The two-time NCAA all-around champion’s quest for a third in a row likely ended yesterday when she tore her achilles in the midst of Georgia’s 197.9-195.95 win over Arkansas. Kupets sustained the injury on her first tumbling pass, an Arabian double front.
Georgia’s website does not specifically say that Kupets tore her ACL, nor does it concede she’s done for the season. But a short article by Linda Hamilton of the Deseret Morning News, posted six hours after Georgia’s article, indicates that Kupets is definitely out.
Two-time NCAA gymnastics all-around champion Courtney Kupets of Georgia is out for the season after tearing an Achilles tendon in Saturday’s 197.90-195.95 win over Arkansas at Georgia’s Stegeman Coliseum, which will be the site of the 2008 NCAA Championships April 24-26.
Kupets tore her ACL while training for the 2003 World Championships in Anaheim, Calif. Her relatively quick recovery from what might have been a career-ending injury and her successful Olympic bid made her story one of the more compelling of the 2004 Olympics.
Now she’s older, and far more decorated. Hopefully she’ll be able to bounce back — literally and figuratively.
This doesn’t bode that well for the Georgia Gym Dogs, who are hosting this year’s NCAA Championships and are favored despite pressure from perennial no. 2 Utah. But this team has proven itself incredibly well under pressure — last season it lost seniors Kelsey Ericksen and Ashley Kupets to injury before the NCAA tournament and still managed to win.
Edit: Achilles tear. Sorry Everyone!
Tags: Ashley Kupets, Courtney Kupets, Jay Clark, Katie Heenan, Kelsey Ericksen
March 3, 2008 at 5:25 am |
I’m pretty sure it’s the Achilles.
March 3, 2008 at 8:10 am |
she tore her achilles tendon in 2003…and again just now…not her acl…
March 3, 2008 at 11:26 am |
Definitely Achilles on her ‘good’ leg. Suzanne has confirmed it personally – naturally, everyone is devastated for Courtney. Best wishes for Court in a speedy and complete recovery. Hope we see her back next season for her senior year!
March 3, 2008 at 5:55 pm |
It is the achilles. It’s the other one this time.
March 3, 2008 at 5:56 pm |
Oh, and she actually tore her first achilles on the whip 1/2, double front in 2003. This time she tore it on a double arabian.
March 3, 2008 at 10:41 pm |
[...] Gymblog [...]
March 4, 2008 at 8:23 am |
The achilles is a tendon just above the heel. You don’t want to be without it. You’ll have trouble walking.
The ACL (anterior cruxial ligament) is found in your knee. You can live without it, but if you do gymnastics you’ll probably want it or need a lot of muscles.
April 15, 2009 at 3:10 pm |
This topic is quite hot on the Internet right now. What do you pay the most attention to while choosing what to write about?