Former UCLA Gymnast Danusia Francis Lives Out Olympics Dream With Torn ACL
(CBSLA) -- UCLA Gymnastics alumna and Team Jamaica competitor Danusia Francis injured her left knee before the Tokyo Olympics, but that didn't stop her from competing.
Jamaican gymnast and @uclagymnastics alum Danusia Francis injured her knee before the #TokyoOlympics.
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2021
If you thought that was going to stop her from competing, think again.
Danusia can always call herself an Olympian. #OlympicHERstory pic.twitter.com/OqoXm5TItc
Francis had to withdraw from some of the routines but still performed on the uneven bars.
In total, the British-born Jamaican gymnast competed for 11 seconds, fulfilling a life-long dream of being an Olympian.
"I am officially an Olympian. I have waited a long time to be able to say that," Francis shared on her Instagram Sunday.
"The competition might not have been exactly how I imagined it. But the spirit of the Olympic Games was everything I could have hoped for. I have torn my ACL and will need surgery to repair it. Although I am devastated about this injury, I am glad I was still able to go out there, represent Jamaica, and fulfill my dream."
Francis' appearance in the Olympics marked the second time Jamaica has been represented in gymnastics.