What does it really cost to chase a dream for almost two decades in Gymnastics? Not the medals. Not the applause. We’re talking about the bruises no one sees. The surgeries. The self-doubt. The mornings when getting out of bed feels like a battle. She knows that cost. Honestly, she paid it in full. For almost a decade, she was everywhere—Pan Ams, World Cups, Central American Games; vaulting, swinging, lifting teams, carrying expectations. She wasn’t the loudest name, but she was always there. Always showing up. Then came Antwerp. She delivered. She earned it—the Olympic spot. A golden ticket to Paris was hers. “I was shocked,” she said after making it through. She competed. But it wasn’t the fairy-tale ending she or any of us hoped for. And now? She has a message for us.
Last year, Ahtziri Sandoval finally lived the dream she’d been chasing since her childhood days at Acrogym in Guadalajara. But it wasn’t the Olympic chapter she’d visualized. Finishing fifty-fourth in qualification, she didn’t make any finals. But that was never going to define her journey. Just months later, she has opened up with one major update.
On May 23, she posted a heartfelt update: “Today I want to share that I am recovering from shoulder surgery, an injury that has been with me since the last Olympic cycle.” She continued—”It hasn’t been an easy road; frustration, pain and uncertainty have been present, but so has hope… even if the body stops for a moment, the heart never stops training.”
And it showed. That same heart had carried her since she was five years old—just a restless kid bouncing around a small gym in the city of Guadalajara, the one they call La Perla Tapatía. Her name found its way onto scoreboards at the Pan American Championships, World Challenge Cups, and Central American Games — always present, always pushing.
Through sixth-place finishes, no one clapped for. Through training days that started at 7:30 in the morning and didn’t end until nightfall. Through injuries, setbacks, silence, and moments when walking away might’ve seemed easier, Ahtziri Sandoval endured.
“I’m focused on healing, on becoming stronger, and to keep fighting for my dreams,” she wrote, every word holding weight in the Gymnastics world. She still believes the best is yet to come. And she wants to be a voice for young athletes—to show them that hard work, in a healthy space, really can take them far.
Fans rally behind gymnast Ahtziri Sandoval after emotional injury update
When Ahtziri Sandoval revealed on May 23 that she had undergone shoulder surgery, the gymnastics world responded with an outpouring of support.
The 28-year-old Olympian, who made her World Championships debut back in 2014 and has since carried Mexico’s flag through a decade of elite international competition, shared that the injury had plagued her since the previous Olympic cycle. Her honesty struck a chord. “Your strength inspires, in sport and at this stage,” one supporter wrote. “Wishing you a recovery full of strength and confidence.”
For fans who’ve followed her journey, from Pan American medals in 2017 and 2018 to her Paris 2024 Olympic qualification last fall in Antwerp, this was more than sympathy. It was respect.
Sandoval’s recent post highlighted not only her physical challenges, but her mindset: “Even if the body stops for a moment, the heart never stops training.” It’s this spirit that has made her a role model for young athletes. “As long as there is passion and dream, you can achieve everything… so gonna take this break to recharge and start your recovery!!! I know it will be very fast!!!” another follower commented, reflecting her fans’ belief that this setback is only temporary.
She continues training under José Adrián Meza Padilla in Guadalajara, where her daily sessions often stretch past six hours. That kind of commitment doesn’t vanish with injury—it’s just redirected. “Champions need to rest for their best performance,” one supporter reminded. “Rest as you give it all to the Olympics.” The community isn’t just hoping. They’re cheering her on. “Come on positive mind!!!! Sending you a hugggg,” one message read. And to cap it all some believe break will fuel her fightback, “Breaks are not only good but necessary to keep going get well soon ,” one message read
The post Fans Offer Prayers to 28-Year-Old Gymnastics Star as She Shares Update After Undergoing Surgery for Major Injury appeared first on EssentiallySports.