The Swiss Cup Zürich is here, bringing some excitement, much talent, and top athletes from around the world to compete. It’s known for its unique mixed-gender format. With these top gymnasts performing their best routines, the crowd will always be on the edge of their seats, waiting to see which team combination will be on top. This year, from Team USA, two new participants, Leanne Wong and Fuzzy Benas, are gearing up as a new duo. Though it might be all excitement in the USA camp, things didn’t start so well on the Italian side.

Just before the action kicked off, a surprise—or, as some might say, heartbreak—reshuffle was announced. Italy’s Angela Andreoli, one of the participants, had to withdraw from the competition due to an injury. This was followed by a reshuffle, which might help the Italian side. 

German gymnast saves the day for Italy

This year, Italy had its hopes high for this tournament as one of their best gymnasts was going to go into this tournament, but their hopes were shaken after the news about Angela Andreoli’s sudden exit from the competition due to a knee injury was announced. Italy was without a participant just days before the Swiss Cup Zürich. But in this last-minute heartbreak, the German gymnast Karina Schönmaier stepped in as her replacement, saving the day and reviving Italy’s hopes in this World Cup. With Andreoli’s absence, Schönmaier joined Mario Macchiati to form a new mixed team, DeuTalia.

Fresh off an impressive second-place finish in the all-around event at the Arthur Gander Memorial in Switzerland, Schönmaier has already made a name for herself. Her achievements, including a top-six team finish at the 2024 European Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships, have prepared her well for this moment.

As part of the newly formed Germany-Italy duo, she’ll bring her skills to the Swiss Cup alongside Macchiati, who recently helped Italy achieve a sixth-place team finish at the 2024 Olympic Games. However, a gymnast getting injured is not a new tale.

Isn’t injuries and gymnastics an old story?

Injuries are nothing new for gymnasts, and Angela Andreoli’s recent exit from the Swiss Cup Zürich due to knee pain is nothing new to her or the world of gymnastics. Andreoli had previously struggled with injuries. In the middle of 2022, she was troubled by an ankle injury, and she had to leave the tournament in half. However, she was determined for the game and came back soon after, and we hope she will recover soon from this injury too.

Injuries have sabotaged many careers in gymnastics, but some athletes have overcome them to make remarkable comebacks. Kerri Strug, for example, performed a vault with a broken ankle at the 1996 Olympics when she secured the gold for Team USA. Nastia Liukin suffered a painful foot fracture before the 2008 Beijing Olympics and still won gold.

But careers have also been significantly impacted by injuries, such as when Ragan Smith broke her ankle warming up for the 2017 World Championships, and Kayla DiCello and Skye Blakely suffered Achilles tears at the 2024 Olympic Trials, ending their chances for Paris. Even minor missteps can lead to long-lasting setbacks, underscoring the brutal reality faced by athletes in this high-stakes sport.