Gymnast Skye Blakely wins world all-around gold, returns to Florida classes

Skye Blakely sat for a nutrition education midterm in a University of Florida classroom on Thursday afternoon. She had returned to the United States only hours earlier after winning the world all-around title in gymnastics.

The Gainesville-based athlete arrived on campus Tuesday morning to the dining hall. Teammates and students from other sports greeted her with hugs and congratulations. Blakely, 21, noted that the attention has continued in the days since her return.

Last Friday, Blakely secured the gold medal in the all-around competition. She took the lead after routines on vault and uneven bars. A strong performance on beam effectively secured the title. When her final floor score posted, Blakely hugged coach Owen Field and cried.

"It was just so surreal," Blakely said in an interview conducted via Zoom on Thursday. "I mean, I was just emotional knowing I had a good day at the meet before I even knew my floor score."

The victory marks a return to elite form after a two-year struggle with injuries. Blakely ruptured her right Achilles tendon in 2024 during Olympic trials. She also tore a ligament in her left elbow during the 2021 trials. These setbacks prevented her from competing in the Olympics.

Blakely will now focus on the NCAA season with the Florida Gators. The team aims to repeat as SEC champions and improve on its third-place finish at the national championships last spring. Blakely returns to campus practice on Monday to refine her routines for the 2027 cycle.

She continues to train for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Blakely earned bronze medals on vault and uneven bars at the recent world championships. She also won a silver medal with the U.S. team. The 2028 Games are less than two years away.

Blakely has balanced her elite training with her academic schedule this fall semester. She has attended every team activity. The Gators recently updated their team mantra during a retreat in Sarasota. Blakely described the process as a way to show respect for all teammates.

"We want to win everything," Blakely said. She will take a microbiology lab exam on Friday morning. The world champion remains focused on the daily process of improvement.

Her journey to the top began in 2012. At age seven, she watched Gabby Douglas win Olympic gold in London. That moment inspired Blakely to pursue her own dream of standing on the podium. She now shares that status with Douglas and Simone Biles.