You may have heard a little something about all the gymnasts dropping like flies during the Kelloggs Tour of Champions recently. You’re also probably wondering “Why are they still touring?”
Well, here’s the low down:
The Post Olympic tour is a long-standing tradition and an important marketing tool for USA Gymnastics. After each Olympics the stars of the men’s and women’s gymnastics teams go from city-to-city all over the U.S. meeting fans, signing autographs, and putting on flashy choreographed dance performances mixed with gymnastics. Fun.
The tour has also often been a way for athletes who have gone pro to make a little money from their efforts in a sport that doesn’t offer the typical million dollar pay day of other mainstream sports. Most of these athletes have trained eight hours a day, six days a week, leading up the Games, so the tour is also a much needed mental break from the grind of Olympic preparation.
The Kelloggs Tour of Champions is a high-flying spectacle, but it also seems to be fielding an unfortunate trend of injuries. On the second of forty stops McKayla Maroney further injured her leg performing a simple fly away dismount on uneven bars, and had to undergo surgery. That same night Aly Raisman had a scary fall from the bars and sustained minor injuries to her knees and back. Then, just this week, John Orozco tore his ACL and meniscus, an injury that could end the national champ’s season before it even begins.
This is gymnastics and accidents happen, but what is going on with this tour!?
A few explanations:
Athletes are performing less difficult routines than they did in London, but instead of competing on a podium that adds extra bounce and cushion, the gymnasts are performing on thin mats placed over concrete, a surface they’re not used to landing on. Their personal coaches are back at home preparing future Olympians so tour members are without their normal safety net. Many athletes came into the tour a bit worn down, and beat up from the wear and tear of the Olympic games and thus injuries are more likely.
There’s certain to be at least two tour survivors: Danell Leyva chose to forgo the tour entirely to resume training and will head out on an international assignment in December. Kyla Ross performed only her home state is back training for 2016. Phew. Stay safe out there, everyone.
