Young Scottish gymnast left with horror arm break after routine goes wrong
A SCOTTISH teenager snapped her arm in a horrific fall during a gymnastics routine. Sofia McDaid, 13, broke both her bones after the shocking incident in a routine she had been working hard to rehearse for for four months. The pupil at St Ninian’s High School in Giffnock was performing with six pals when she […]
A SCOTTISH teenager snapped her arm in a horrific fall during a gymnastics routine.
Sofia McDaid, 13, broke both her bones after the shocking incident in a routine she had been working hard to rehearse for for four months.
The pupil at St Ninian’s High School in Giffnock was performing with six pals when she tried a back flip which went horribly wrong.
A toe-curling snap can be heard from the audience over the music – prompting audible shock from onlookers.
One friend can be heard shouting “Go Sofia” in encouragement just seconds before the crack.
The brave lass leaves the stage as her colleagues carry on as best they can, and someone can be seen hurrying to her assistance at the side of the stage.
Luckless Sofia later discovered she had broken both bones in her arm, and will have to spend weeks in a cast and months with pins in her arm.
She said: “I didn’t realise you could hear it over the music so when I watched the video I was shocked.
“I only watched it once because I found it kind of hard to watch.
“It was really sore and I was just in shock. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me so I was so worried. It was really painful and hard to hold it.
“I was really tired for ages after it and I just slept all the time because I’d had anaesthetic, and I felt a bit sick. And it was really itchy.”
My initial reaction was horror, I felt sick. I’ve seen videos like it on YouTube but never thought it would happen to Sofia… The most upsetting thing is that it’s her left arm and she still has to do her school work.
Maria, Sophie McDaid's mum
The teen revealed that she had lots of support from pals.
She added: “I woke up in hospital to lots of messages saying ‘I hope you get better’ so that was really nice and helped.
“I had practised for four months so that was hard, especially because it happened near the start of the show.”
The incident comes just days after American gymnast Sam Cerio sickeningly broke both legs while performing a complex floor routine.
Sofia’s mum Maria, 39, “felt sick” when she saw the footage.
She said: “I wasn’t there, I was at home with the kids because Sofia is one of seven kids.
“I just got a phone call and later when I saw the video it was quite a shock.
“My initial reaction was horror, I felt sick. I’ve seen videos like it on YouTube but never thought it would happen to Sofia. But it was amazing to see how quickly she got up.”
Most read in sport
Maria added: “It was nice that she got so much support. She was so brave, but being in a house full of kids you kind of have to be – you just get told to man up and get on with it.
“She’s been fine since and has just kind of taken everything in her stride. I think the most upsetting thing is that it’s her left arm and she still has to do her school work.
“She does need help to her dressed in the morning so I think she will be looking forward to getting her independence back.”
