Just days before she was set to compete for a spot at the Paris Olympics, Skye Blakely suffered a major heartbreak. During floor exercise podium training ahead of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, the American gymnast ruptured her right Achilles tendon, ending her Olympic hopes. Blakely later admitted she was “devastated and heartbroken” and underwent surgery and began her recovery process. Now, 2 years later, she is looking back on that difficult chapter from a different perspective.

On July 3, the two-time World Champion shared an emotional Instagram Story marking the second anniversary of her Achilles repair surgery. The story featured a single collage image that captured different stages of her recovery journey. In the collage, one photo showed Blakely in a hospital bed wearing a surgical cap and gown, likely taken shortly after surgery. Another close-up image revealed the stitches and incision from her Achilles repair.

The largest image in the collage was a recent selfie. Taken from a low angle, it showed Blakely holding her phone while raising her leg, with her foot still wrapped in a protective bandage. The side-by-side images showed the contrast between the difficult days following surgery and the athlete she has become since returning to competition.

Alongside the collage, Blakely wrote: “2 years post achilles repair 🥹🥹” She also included the message: “You are not what happened to you, you are what you will become”. That journey has been reflected in her remarkable comeback over the past year.

After spending more than a year recovering from the injury, Blakely returned to elite gymnastics at the 2025 U.S. Championships in New Orleans. Competing on just two apparatuses, uneven bars and balance beam, she immediately made an impact. The American gymnast earned a share of the national title on uneven bars and finished second on beam, securing her place back on the U.S. National Team.

Her comeback continued at the 2025 World Championships in October, where she qualified for the uneven bars final and finished fourth against some of the world’s best gymnasts. That momentum carried into 2026. One of the biggest moments of her return came in February when she earned the first perfect 10.0 of her NCAA career on balance beam while competing for Florida.

Blakely’s performances throughout the season also earned her SEC Specialist of the Week honors on multiple occasions. Her successful season was recognized at the conference level as well. At the end of the 2026 campaign, Blakely was named Co-SEC Specialist Gymnast of the Year and was also selected to the All-SEC Team. But Blakely’s comeback story is about to face its biggest test yet.

Skye Blakely set for tough test against star-studded field

Skye Blakely’s next event is at the 2026 U.S. Classic (Hartford, Connecticut) from July 17-18. The event serves as the final major tune-up before the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships in Phoenix, Arizona.

Blakely qualified for the U.S. Championships based on her ranking on the 2025 World Championships team, but the Classic will provide her with her first major test this summer at the elite level. Most important of all, it will provide her the opportunity to compare herself to some of the nation’s best gymnasts.

Among the biggest names in the field is Blakely’s University of Florida teammate, Leanne Wong. The multiple-time World Championship medalist, Wong, placed in the all-around at the 2025 World Championships. She was also an alternate for the U.S. Olympic Team on the road in 2020 and also qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2024.

Katelyn Ohashi is another athlete who has been making news for her return to high-level gymnastics this year. Ohashi first made a splash in 2013 when she beat Simone Biles to win the American Cup all-around title and then went viral for her perfect-10 floor routine for UCLA in 2019. She also returned to the top level successfully in 2026, taking home bronze on balance beam from the American Classic.

Also in the field is bright young star Simone Rose of U.S. gymnastics. In 2026, Rose had a breakthrough season by earning silver medals in both the balance beam and uneven bars at the Pan American Championships. Earlier this year, she was chosen for the United States Senior National Team after finishing fifth overall at the Xfinity U.S. Championships and taking home gold on the uneven bars from the City of Jesolo Trophy.

In addition to those featured in the headlines, this senior class also includes a strong group of emerging talents, such as Trinity Wood, Charleigh Bullock, Tatum Drusch, Zoey Molomo, Caroline Moreau and Lila Richardson. All eyes will be on the meet in Hartford as the National team’s future, momentum and championship preparation are at stake.

For Blakely, the meet represents more than another competition. Two years after the injury that ended her Olympic dream, it is another opportunity to prove that her comeback remains firmly on track.