Commonwealth Games 2010: Gymnast Curran out of Games

Injured Manx gymnasts Joe Smith (left) and Olivia Curran in Delhi

Gymnast Olivia Curran has become the second Isle of Man athlete to have their 2010 Commonwealth Games dreams shattered after a training accident.

The 19-year-old was forced to withdraw from competition after tearing a knee ligament during training on Wednesday.

It comes only a day after a torn Achilles tendon put paid to fellow Manx gymnast Joe Smith's hopes in Delhi.

"I'm angry and frustrated. One minute I'm in tears, the next I want to throw things at the wall," Curran said.

"I was on the bars, about to dismount and my hand slipped off the bar. I landed on my knees and knew I'd damaged it. The move I was doing was nothing unusual and was part of my regular routine."

Curran will need surgery on the injury when she returns to the Island.

The teenager was the first Manx female gymnast to go to the Commonwealth Games and had deferred going to university to try and qualify for the event.

"I've been doing gymnastics since I was three. I went to the Commonwealth Youth Games when I was 13 and that really opened my eyes to big competition," she added.

"I've had four-year plan to get to these games. There have been plenty of people who have doubted me along the way, but they have only made me more determined."

Gymnastics team manager Haresh Measuria was devastated after seeing the second of his five-strong team hospitalised and out of the Games in two days.

"After Joe's accident yesterday, and now this, it feels like the floor has been pulled from under the whole of the gym team," Measuria stated.