Ortiz fall highlights dangers faced by gymnasts

The risks faced by young gymnasts in the chase for medals were again highlighted today when Jessica Gil Ortiz's bid to win the floor exercise title ended painfully with a suspected neck injury.

Jessica Gil Ortiz from Colombia falls during her routine in the women's floor final at the Gymnastics World Championships at the O2 Arena in London October 18, 2009. Gil Ortiz was taken to hospital after the fall.

The 19-year-old Colombian was attempting to finish off a high-flying tumbling sequence with a double front somersault when she banged her head at an uncomfortable angle, hushing almost 12,000 fans at the O2 Arena into silence.

Ortiz stayed curled in a foetal position at the corner of the marked area for what seemed an eternity before her coach and paramedics ran to her aid.After being fitted with a neck brace, she was eventually carried off on a stretcher while her rivals looked on in shock.