Adela Garcia tears ACL; will miss the ’08 Fitness Olympia

by Allan Donnelly

July 29, 2008

FLEXONLINE.COM

The 2008 Fitness Olympia lost a little luster today when three-time and reigning champion Adela Garcia announced she will be pulling out of the contest after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament.

“I’m out,” a disappointed Garcia said. “I’m so said. I was really looking forward to this Olympia It broke my heart, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Garcia tore the ACL of her right knee when practicing her routine a little under two weeks ago. She had an MRI on the knee on Monday, and the doctor confirmed it was a complete tear.

“So many girls have had injuries,” Garcia said. In fitness, if we get injured, there’s nothing we can do about it especially when it’s your knee. Everything we do, you have to use your knees.”

Garcia will undergo surgery sometime next week. She remains very optimistic that she will be able to return to top form, pointing to Julie Lohre and Tanji Johnson as fitness competitors who have had ACL injuries and recovered to climb back to the top of the sport.

“I’m not done,” Garcia said. You can count me out for this one but not for next year. I’ll be even better next year.”