Saturday, July 31, 2021

Artur Dalaloyan: Achilles Heal


'I really want to be helpful to the team, really want to make my contribution to the team result, That's why I'm doing everything for it, I do my best for it.'


I'm sure Artur's sentiment if felt by every Olympic team member, but Russian gymnast Artur Dalaloyan has more of a reason than most to want to get back to contributing to his sport, and to his team. Dalaloyan posted the fourth-best score in the first qualifying session last week just three months after an injury so severe, his foot was bouncing uncontrollably he had to be rushed to the hospital.



The 25-year-old severed his Achilles in training before the European Championships and had surgery in April. He recovered partially and was named to the Russian men's Olympic team.


'I couldn’t control my emotions,” Dalaloyan said through a translator, explaining why he broke down and buried his face in his hands after finishing floor exercise, his second-to-last event. “One side of me was full of joy and confidence. I was kind of proud I could make it, that I could come to this point and do all the exercises all the way I really wanted to.'






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