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College Gymnast Severely Injures Both Legs During Routine

Reporter Eden Smith

Last Friday Proud Auburn Tiger Samantha Cerio, ready to earn her spot NCAA women’s gymnastics region final, unleashed a beautiful storm of twirls and spins before sprinting onto the mat, a great start to a horrendous end.

Cerio was on the first pass of her floor routine when she took the devastating fall. Video of her tumble shows she landed awkwardly and harshly on her legs after completing her beginning flips. Medical staff and trainers trickled onto the mat and were treating her for almost ten minutes before she was carried off the floor on the stretcher. A standing ovation followed her as she left.

Ranked number 13 in the nation, Auburn rallied together for Cerio and managed to advanced to the championship round after finishing with a score of 197.075 only falling short of host LSU. The team, however, was knocked out of the bracket after falling short.

Two days later Cerio announced on Instagram. "After 18 years I am hanging up my grips and leaving the chalk behind couldn't be prouder of the person that gymnastics has made me to become," she said. "It may not have ended the way I had planned, but nothing ever goes as planned... I truly appreciate all of the support and prayers that I have have received! I am doing well right now and getting lots of rest!"

Cerio's surgery took place Monday and lasted more than two hours but was "an extreme success," according to Tigers gymnastics coach Jeff Graba, he also stated "We know the road for full healing is going to be a long and difficult one, but we are confident that she’ll be able to make a complete recovery,"