Japan's Hatakeda Hitomi withdraws from women's all-around final at gymnastics worlds with serious spinal injury

Tokyo 2020 Olympian Hatakeda Hitomi was forced to pull out of the women's all-around final at the 2021 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships after suffering a gruesome training fall on the uneven bars on Wednesday (20 October).

Hatakeda, who had qualified for Thursday's final fourth in Kitakyushu, was diagnosed with damage to her central spinal cord and bruising of the cervical spine following an MRI, according to the Japan Gymnastics Association.

The 21-year-old is in pain but conscious and in stable condition with her mother and coach, Yukiko, at bedside. Hatakeda will undergo further tests on Thursday.

According to those who have seen the fall, Hatakeda fell face first while attempting a Komova (a transition element from low bar to high bar on the uneven bars), slamming her chin hard on the floor. She was taken to hospital in an ambulance on a spineboard.

Hatakeda, tipped to lead the Japanese women towards Paris 2024 with Murakami Mai nearing the end of her career, made her Games debut at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, helping Japan to fifth place in the team event.

She hails from a gymnastics family. Her father Yoshiaki won a team bronze for Japan at Barcelona 1992 and her younger sister, Chiaki, is also a competitive gymnast.