U.S. Gymnast Sidelined by Foot Injury

Morgan White, 17, of Fairfield, Ohio, who finished fifth at the U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials, withdrew from the Olympics because of a foot injury and has been replaced by 15-year-old Tasha Schwikert of Las Vegas. White has a stress fracture in her left foot.

Schwikert, who turns 16 in November--barely making her eligible under new rules requiring Olympic gymnasts to turn 16 during the year of the Games--had been named second alternate by coordinator Bela Karolyi. But Schwikert was a more consistent performer at the pre-Olympic training camp at Karolyi’s ranch outside Houston than first alternate Alyssa Beckerman.

White’s withdrawal is a big blow to the team. Karolyi had planned to use White in the leadoff position on each apparatus for the team competition. Karolyi had picked White for that spot, which often sets the tone for how judges perceive a team’s performances, because, Karolyi said, “Morgan is a young, consistent performer who we can count on.”

White withdrew from an exhibition last week because of the sore foot.