Black is out of all-around final with sprained ankle

TOKYO — Canadian gymnast Ellie Black has withdrawn from Thursday’s all-around final event at Tokyo Olympics with a sprained left ankle.

Black said she aggravated a previous injury when she landed awkwardly after a balance beam dismount while training Tuesday.

The 25-yearold from Halifax, who is competing in her third

Olympics, said the injury is particularly tough after she navigated a difficult 1 ⁄ years of 1

2 training restrictions due to COVID-19 and injury just to make it to Tokyo.

“Hurting it here is difficult, it’s frustrating, it’s upsetting,” Black said at a news conference, fighting back tears.

“But I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs, and this was just another one that I had to overcome.”

Black said she had hurt the same ankle during a beam training session in late June. She said at the time she wasn’t sure if she would recover in time to compete in Tokyo.

Black’s withdrawal leaves Brooklyn Moors of Cambridge as the only Canadian competing in the all-around final.

“I’ll be watching the competition tomorrow cheering on my teammate Brooklyn, but I wish more than anything that I could have been out on the floor with her.”

Black said she hoped her ankle would heal in time to participate in next week’s balance beam final.