MARLBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - A gymnast from Marlborough had a close call when he nearly fell on his head but was saved by his quick-thinking coach.
Noah Viera, 13, was warming up during a national invitational in Springfield when he lost his grip on the high bar. As he fell, Viera did the best he could to keep from falling on his head or neck.
“I don’t know what I’m thinking, I’m just going everywhere,” said Viera. “And I try looking at the ground, try to flip a little bit so I don’t land on my neck and I can land on my back.”
His coach Cal Booker only had a second to react and grabbed Viera, ensuring he landed on his back.
“Instincts kicked in. He did everything that I taught him; look for the ground, find it, land on your back, not on your head,” said Booker, who has coached at the New England Gymnastics Academy for seven years. “Luckily I was able to get underneath him and slow down the landing.”
Viera said he was not injured but was a little shaken up. He took to the high bar again during the competition and managed to stick the landing. His team went on to win the competition.
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