At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Flavia Saraiva’s resilience shone as she competed with a bandaged face and black eye, securing a historic bronze for Brazil’s gymnastics team.
Despite suffering an injury just before the competition, she delivered an “amazing routine” and contributed to Brazil’s first-ever team medal in women’s gymnastics.
Flavia helped Team Brazil earn a historic bronze medal 48 hours after she endured an injury that would’ve taken a less-driven athlete out of the game.
What happened to Flavia Saraiva?
On July 30, 2024, Flavia and Team Brazil competed against Italy and the U.S. gymnastics teams for the all-around individual final. The 24-year-old competitor appeared at the final with a black eye and a bandage on her eyebrow. The injury came after Flavia fell during warm-ups moments before the final began.
“I could not see; it bled, but the team’s doctor told me everything was all right,” she recalled to the Associated Press on Tuesday. “I believe my knee hit my eye when I tripped.”
Flavia noted to AP that her injury was “not the first time” she got a black eye while practicing on the bars. She also said she might “need some stitches” after only patching the cut with a bandage.
Flavia helped make history for Team Brazil after tending to her black eye.
Flavia bravely refused to let a likely painful and cosmetic injury stop her from helping her Team Brazil gain a historic win at the final by succinctly performing her floor routine and was “cautious on the bars” as not to fall again and finished off with a strong vault. The routine earned her four impressive scores, with her finishing in ninth place.
“We are warriors,” Flavia said after the impressive routine.
While Simone Biles ultimately took home the gold medal for Flavia’s competition, her contribution resulted in a historic day for Brazil. The country had never won a team medal in women’s gymnastics before the July win.
Despite the injury, Flavia’s Instagram shows she’s still having the time of her life doing what she loves.
