"I was really upset"- Kayla DiCello opens up about missing an opportunity to compete at the Olympics amid dealing with injury

Kayla DiCello has opened up about missing out on competing throughout the season due to her injury. The American gymnast revealed that although she was upset due to the injury, undergoing a second surgery helped to ease her mind.

DiCello was in great form early in the 2024 season, winning the Winter Cup and finishing third in the U.S. Gymnastics Championships. She then marched on to the U.S. Olympic Trials where she ruptured her Achilles tendon after a fall while performing the double-twisting Yurchenko vault. The impact of the injury was such that she had to undergo two surgeries to make a full recovery.

The injury kept her out of the gymnastics circuit for the rest of the season, leaving her Paris Olympics dream unfulfilled. Kayla DiCello had undergone one surgery right after the Olympics and took to Instagram in December 2024 to reveal that she had to go under the knife once again on another foot to address her injuries.

The American athlete spoke to Olympics.com and expressed her thoughts on missing out on competing in the entire season and undergoing two surgeries.

“I was really upset because I couldn’t compete this year, but for me, I think getting the second surgery was something that eased my mind. Now, I feel like I don’t have the added outside pressure of ‘Am I going to compete this year?’ and all that,” she said.

Kayla DiCello on her rehabilitation and plans for the upcoming season

Kayla DiCello competes in Gymnastics at the 2024 Core Hydration Classic - Source: Getty

Kayla DiCello opened up about her plans for the upcoming season, providing an update about her rehabilitation in an interview with Olympics.com. The American athlete revealed how her major focus is to make a quick recovery and see what her first year of college is like.

DiCello revealed that she would decide to return to elite competition after considering all the external aspects.

“That has never left my mind. There’s really no decision right now. Right now, I’m really just focused on getting back, seeing how this first year back in college goes, and then making a decision from there," she said.

Furthermore, she shared that although her rehabilitation is going well, she is a little behind in terms of recovery as per the plan due to the second surgery. She is taking her time to make a full recovery and hopes to return to the gym as soon as possible.