Gymnastics ace Kevric suffers kneecap ligament injury

Helen Kevric suffered a kneecap ligament injury at the European Gymnastics Championships in Leipzig. This was announced by national coach Gerben Wiersma after initial examinations at a hospital. The 17-year-old will return to Stuttgart for more detailed medical examinations. A decision will then be made on how to proceed.

"She will definitely not be competing on the uneven bars tomorrow," said the Dutchman. "I'm very sad and sorry for Helen," said Wiersma. Kevric fell after landing on the vault at the start of the all-around competition. She then remained lying on her back and had to be treated. The Stuttgart native was then carried out of the hall by Wiersma and team doctor Rainer Eckhardt.

The national coach was surprised

"It happened during the landing. I can't say exactly what happened. I was just as surprised as everyone else," said the national coach. She had finished her jump sensibly. "Then I suddenly saw that she jumped backwards and then lay there," he reported.

Kevric had qualified for the all-around final in third place and had started the competition with legitimate medal hopes. She had also reached the uneven bars final as the best gymnast and therefore had the best chances of winning the European title on her special apparatus. The last time Elisabeth Seitz (31) achieved this was in Munich 2022, when she announced her retirement shortly before the start of the all-around final and announced that she was going to be a mother.