French gymnast Samir Ait Said breaks leg in horrific incident at Rio Olympic Games

GRAPHIC IMAGE WARNING: French gymnast Samir Ait Said has suffered a horrific leg break while competing in the vault competition in Rio.

WE really don’t mind if you decide not to view this injury, particularly so soon after Mitch Wallis.

But if you have a stomach of steel it’s worth sitting through this horrific leg break suffered by French gymnast Samir Ait Said because of the ridiculous courage he displays in the aftermath.

Attempting to complete what to our untrained eye looks like a triple backflip, the 26-year- old

doesn’t quite rotate far enough to stick the landing – and suddenly his bones are nearly sticking out of his skin.

France's Samir Ait Said holds his leg after injuring it while performing on the vault

Picture: Julio Cortez

Picture: Scott Halleran

As Said looks down to view the damage his reaction is incredible for a man whose lower half of his leg is literally being held together by skin and tendon only.

There’s no screaming, not even an audible peep from the Frenchman as he covers his face with his hand and resigns himself to the fact his debut Olympics are over.

It was a cruel blow to the former European champion who recorded the highest score of his group in the team preliminaries in his favourite discipline – the rings – but was unable to help further.

Picture: Rebecca Blackwell

Picture: Alex Livesey

An Associated Reporter said the crack of Said’s bones breaking echoed through the arena and he was stretchered off by medical officials to a standing ovation. He showed further bravery by returning the cheers with a wave.

The injury revived memories of AFL player Wallis’s double break in a recent match against St Kilda, where he snapped his leg after accidentally striking it with his opposite foot while attempting to kick.

The scene inside the Bulldogs’ changerooms after the match – where Wallis lay in anguish while his teammates broke down in tears – was described as one of the most harrowing scenes seen in footy for some time.

Let’s hope the Rio medical team had Said in hospital by the time his teammates finished competing.

Injuries weren’t limited to the gymnastics arena on Day One as Australian cyclist Richie Porte crashed out in the road race. The Tasmanian was with the main contenders with 35km to go when he skidded off the descent of the Chinese Vista.

He wasn’t alone in finding the bitumen as Belgian Greg van Avermaet survived a series of wild crashes to claim gold.

Picture: Scott Halleran*

Picture: Julio Cortez

Originally published as French gymnast Samir Ait Said breaks leg in horrific incident at Rio Olympic Games