A year after shredding her knee, this junior Olympic gymnast is back on the mat
There was never an ounce of doubt in Lexi Edwards’ mind.
Not when she lost her air awareness on a vault in warm ups. Not when she twisted in the air and came down on a knee that gave way. Not when doctors told her she’d suffered a knee joint dislocation and torn her ACL, PCL, MCL and both menisci.
Not even when they told her how unique her injury was, and that she was facing nine months to a year of recovery, an arduous process that would take up her senior year at Monacan high school and perhaps threaten her collegiate aspirations at Ohio State.
Edwards never thought of quitting as an option, and on Monday, she'll be honored as the HCA Virginia Sports Medicine female comeback athlete of the year at the annual Times-Dispatch/Sports Backers Scholar-Athlete banquet.
“I just thought I’d have to change a few things,” Edwards said. “But it was all about working around it, not saying, ‘I can’t do it.’”
Almost a year after the second of two staged surgeries, Edwards, a junior Olympic national team member in 2016 and level 10 gymnast, indicated she is close to 100%.
Entire article:
https://www.richmond.com/sports/hig...cle_a27801f7-b9b4-5e00-ae69-ae0daa616493.html
STICKING WITH HER. A year ago, junior Olympian and Buckeye gymnastics commit Lexi Edwards absolutely shredded her knee, tearing her ACL, PCL, MCL and both menisci and suffering a knee joint dislocation on a vault in warmups.
It was obviously a long way back to the top, but she's nearly there, and she's had the support of her future team the entire time.
From Bob Brown of the Times Dispatch:
(Her physician, Michelle) Tyler said in 30 years of practicing sports medicine, she can count on one hand the number of true knee dislocations she’s seen.
But the severity of the situation never deterred Edwards.
She was already verbally committed to attend Ohio State on an athletic scholarship before the injury. The Buckeyes maintained her scholarship throughout her recovery, which is not always the case in instances of severe injury.
Their confidence, Edwards said, helped her maintain positivity and belief.
“That meant everything, honestly. … They were behind me 100% and I was very grateful,” she said. “My coach told me that when I get there, their trainers and doctors will push that extra mile to get me where I need to be.”
Shoutout to Lexi, and God help anyone she competes against once she gets to Ohio State.
Entire article:
https://www.elevenwarriors.com/skul...ark-titus-podcast-and-malik-hooker-is-healthy
