Skye Blakely returns to gymnastics all-around competition after injury with LA28 in sight

PHOENIX — For U.S. gymnast Skye Blakely , her dream of becoming an Olympian has been delayed, not denied.

That mantra has helped Blakely find her way back to the mat after devastating setbacks. At age 16, an elbow injury at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic trials derailed her chances of making the team. Three years later, an untimely right Achilles tendon rupture at the 2024 Olympic trials ended her bid for the Paris Games.

With LA28 on the horizon, the now 21-year-old is ready to chase her dream yet again, even if it opens her up to more disappointment. "Having a dream is always a risk if you're going to go after it," Blakely said Wednesday, Aug. 5.

Her first step toward the Los Angeles Games is the 2026 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Phoenix this weekend, where she's set to compete in the all-around for the first time in elite competition in two years.

"I feel like the want for that dream has to be more than being afraid of that risk," Blakely added ahead of the competition, which kicks off Friday. "And I feel like for me it is. I feel like on my heart, it is set to come back. And even if I don't make it, my dream of coming back to this sport is bigger than my fear of disappointment and risk."

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'Making it here' is already an achievement

Blakely has experienced great success at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships. She finished second in the all-around in 2024 behind Simone Biles , just weeks before rupturing her Achilles. Blakely won the uneven bars title alongside Hezly Rivera in 2025 and finished second on balance beam, bypassing the vault and floor entirely.

However, her goal heading into this weekend's competition is simple: Have fun.

"My goal is to really just go out there and be me, whatever that looks like," Blakely said. "I'm not really putting much pressure on myself. I'd say making it here is already achieving such a big goal for myself. ... So, just to go out there and have fun because I don't want to work so hard and then not enjoy the moment that I've earned."

Blakely leaned heavily into her faith during her recovery, which shifted her mindset to a process-oriented approach over results, a tall task in a sport with slim margins. "That's kept me grounded and focused in present time ... trying not to be anxious or worried about things I really have no control over," she said.

As a result, Blakely said she found pure joy.

"Even looking back and reflecting, I think this is the happiest that I have been in my sport, even coming back from such a big injury," said Blakely, who won gold in the uneven bars and balance beam at the 2026 U.S. Classic last month. "I'd say this year has been a great year for me. ... So, I'm just full of gratitude, just taking each opportunity just one day at a time. And whatever that looks like, I'm just happy to be here."

📹➡️ @skyeblakely_ on Bars during #XfinityChamps podium training! pic.twitter.com/upIkU2eCCM

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) August 6, 2026 Skye Blakely will 'play to strengths' in return to floor

One of the hardest parts of Blakely's recovery was relearning to fully trust her body again, especially on the floor event where she injured her Achilles two years ago. She tweaked her routine to include more front tumbling that's "better for my feet." Blakely doesn't look at it as a disadvantage. She calls it playing to her strengths.

"There were some days that I didn't always believe that I would come back exactly to where I am now," Blakely said. "I'd say floor was probably one of the hardest events to come back to. ... But what's really cool about gymnastics is that you can ... work around things. ... And I actually really do love front tumbling. So it's just been a process of learning my body and learning to trust my foot again and the strength of my muscles again."

Blakely got some all-around practice under her belt while competing at the University of Florida. She said competing in all four events at this weekend's U.S. Gymnastics Championships for the first time in elite competition since 2024 will serve as a building block toward her ultimate goal of making the 2028 Olympic team.

"Following that season, I was like, 'Yeah, I'm definitely ready to continue and get back into all-around for elite season as well,'" she recalled. "It's just, kind of to get my toes wet again, get back in the swing of things. ... I'm just excited to be doing all four events again and just going to take it one day at a time."

Blakely headlines the women's field that includes Olympic gold medalist   gymnast Rivera , the defending national all-around champion, and two-time Olympic champion Jade Carey .

"(The goal is) to work through anything and everything and just believe in myself and just be full of gratitude and be proud of myself of how far I've come," Blakely said. "It doesn't have to be perfect or look some sort of way. I feel like I've already achieved the biggest goal (of) getting back here."

Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at [email protected] and follow her on X at @CydHenderson .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Skye Blakely returns to gymnastics all-around competition after injury with LA28 in sight

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