British gymnast Gabriel Langton is in hospital after a frightening headfirst fall at the Commonwealth Games. The 19 year old crashed off the horizontal bar during the men’s team final in Glasgow. He hit the floor headfirst in the last rotation of the event.
Medical staff rushed onto the floor and treated him for several minutes. They fitted him with head and neck support before placing him on a stretcher. Officials then took him straight to hospital for assessment.
Team England confirmed Langton stayed conscious throughout the ordeal. He remained alert, moving, and talking with doctors after the crash. “We are grateful to the medical teams who responded immediately to provide assistance,” the team said in a statement.
Langton had stepped in as a replacement for injured six time Olympic medallist Max Whitlock. He could not join his teammates on the podium after the incident. England went on to win silver behind gold medallists Canada.
Australia claimed bronze in the event. It marked their first men’s team gymnastics medal since the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Teammate Luke Whitehouse gave an update on Langton’s condition afterward. “From what we’ve heard, he’s doing OK,” Whitehouse said. He added that gymnastics carries real danger every single day.
The competition paused briefly as medical teams worked on Langton. Action resumed once he left the arena for further care. Team England said it would share more updates as they become available.