Brazilian Gymnast Competed With a Black Eye at the Olympics
Flavia Saraiva, of Brazil, celebrates after performing on the uneven bars during the women's artistic gymnastics team finals round at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris on July 30. Credit - Natacha Pisarenko—The Associated Press
Brazilian gymnast Flavia Saraiva helped the country win its first-ever Olympic team medal in women’s gymnastics on Tuesday—while sporting a black eye.
Just before the women’s team competition at the Paris Summer Olympics began, Saraiva fell while warming up on the uneven bars. Photos showed the 24-year-old gymnast bleeding from a cut above her right eye and sporting what appeared to be a black eye. But after receiving medical aid, she returned to the competition wearing a bandage.
“I could not see, it bled, but the team’s doctor told me everything was all right,” Saraiva said, as reported by the Associated Press. “I believe my knee hit my eye when I tripped. It’s not the first time it happens to me.”
“We are warriors,” she continued.
Saraiva went on to compete in all four events—uneven bars, balance beam, floor exercise, and vault—for the team final.
“She’s tough,” NBC announcer Rich Lerner said during the broadcast.
Fans agreed, with many taking to social media to applaud the gymnast for her determination.
Flavia Saraiva, one of the veterans of the Brazilian team, had a bad fall in warm-up after landing on her face. Just minutes later, Flavia did a crucial bars routine for Brazil to keep them in medal-contention 🇧🇷 Just WOW pic.twitter.com/YdRQI8MzYs
— Blind Landing Podcast (@BlindLandingPod) July 30, 2024
Flavia Saraiva is hard as nails, man. The 🇧🇷 Brazilian gymnast fell off eight feet from her bar and kneed herself, got a black eye, dusted herself off... and has secured her country's first ever medal in the event. #ParisOlympics2024 pic.twitter.com/5teo8ld3PM
— Gary Al-Smith (@garyalsmith) July 30, 2024
Brazilian gymnast Flavia Saraiva fell off the bar during warm ups, patched up her eye, and went ahead to complete her routine 👏 💪 #OlympicGames #Olympics pic.twitter.com/SZaazsSyxW
— ZEEZ 🌚 (@Swaggzeez1) July 30, 2024
Saraiva previously competed in the Tokyo Summer Olympics held in 2021 and the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games in 2016.
Brazil earned the bronze medal for the women’s team final on Tuesday, while Italy won silver and the U.S. reclaimed gold.
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