Puerto Rican Gymnast Badly Hurt at Stuttgart

A serious injury to a Puerto Rican gymnast created a somber atmosphere at the World Gymnastics Championships today, the day before the event was to begin.

Adriana Duffy suffered a broken neck in a fall from a vaulting horse when her hands slipped.

“An exact prognosis is not yet possible,” Dr. Klaus Steinbrueck, a member of the international federation’s medical team, said after Duffy underwent nearly two hours of surgery.

Steinbrueck said it is too early to determine if the 18-year-old Duffy will suffer permanent damage or paralysis.

Duffy, who was hurt Thursday night, will be hospitalized at least a week before being taken home or to another facility.

World champion gymnast Elena Muchina of the Soviet Union suffered a similar accident in 1979 and has been confined to a wheelchair since then.

In the competition, the Soviets are regarded as the favorites even though one of their Olympic champions retired and a world champion was kicked off the team.

Svetlana Boginskaya, 16, won the European title this spring and looks like the heir apparent to Elena Chouchounova, who excelled one last time in the Seoul Olympics last year before retiring.

On the men’s side, a trio of Soviet gymnasts are in line to replace Dimitri Bilozerchev, who was ousted from the Soviet squad for recurring problems with alcohol.

Medal challenges from Western Europe and the United States are, almost by tradition, expected to be a rarity.

The U.S. men are led by 18-year-old Tim Ryan, who says competition makes him too nervous. None of the men are expected to break into the top 10.

On the women’s side, hopes are pinned on Brandy Johnson, 16, whose confidence and explosive power have made her the best U.S. hope since 1984.