ATHENS -- Two-time NCAA all-around gymnastics champion Courtney Kupets won't get a chance to win a third straight title. The Georgia star and 2004 Olympic medalist is out for the rest of the season after surgery Monday to repair a torn right Achilles tendon.
Kupets, who won a silver and a bronze at the Athens Olympics, is expected to fully recover in time for her final college season. The junior was injured Saturday during a meet against Arkansas while performing her floor routine.
Coincidentally, Kupets tore her left Achilles during a training session for the 2003 world championships. She was able to recuperate in time to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team the following year, helping the Americans claim a silver in the team competition while also winning bronze in the uneven bars.
``This is obviously an unfortunate situation for Courtney, but as always she is finding a silver lining to it,'' Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan said. ``She's already planning her comeback. It's great that she has such a positive attitude, because if anyone can come back from a second Achilles tear, it's Courtney.''
Kupets' sister, Ashley, sustained an Achilles injury before the 2007 NCAA championships, ending her career.
``This is ironic in that it's the same injury that her sister Ashley had last year, but Courtney has told me she feels so fortunate that she still has her senior year left when she comes back,'' Yoculan said. ``She is just glad it happened now and not later on in the season so she can be back that much sooner.''
Kupets already is tied for second in NCAA history with five individual titles and was having another stellar season, ranking first in the nation on bars and second on vault. Now, the Gym Dogs won't have their top star as they go for their fourth straight national championship.
Thursday
October 24th, 2024
12:34AM
