Last Friday at the NCAA Regional Semifinal in Baton Rouge, Auburn senior gymnast Samantha Cerio was just beginning her first pass on the floor exercise when disaster struck. Cerio launched into a handspring double front, a skill that requires a blind landing. However, she came in just a bit too high, and she suffered a catastrophic injury when she hit the floor.
**The video below is as gruesome as the warning suggests it is**
According to the Times-Picayune, Cerio broke both of her legs and dislocated both of her knees. The two-time All-SEC gymnast was stretchered off in two aircasts as the crowd cheered for her, and her teammates rallied to post their second-highest score of the year and advance into the Regional Final. Yesterday, Cerio announced on Instagram that “Friday night was my final night as a gymnast.”
It was a really bad weekend for Auburn sports fans in general.
Update (4:38 p.m. ET): Auburn gymnastics coach Jeff Graba released an update on Cerio’s injuries. She apparently avoided breaking her legs, though she still dislocated both knees and tore multiple ligaments in both knees. We have changed our headline to reflect Graba’s update.