By Giorgianna Heiko
Seventeen-year-old artistic gymnast Sophie Knapp will be embarking on a trip to Israel for her second Maccabiah. This summer, however, she’s returning from a shoulder injury sustained four years ago that left her unable to compete on the bars apparatus.
Before entering high school, during a workout, the former all-around gymnast was practicing a “free hip,” but as she pushed into her handstand on the bar, she felt her shoulder “pop.” Something was wrong. The level-10 athlete pressed on, even doing Jaegers—a move where a gymnast begins a front giant but then releases the bar to do a flip, and recatches the bar. The shoulder strength needed to complete this skill is significant. The New Jersey native reached a point where she could no longer finish her routines. “I went to a lot of doctors, and they all said, ‘oh, it’s just a sprain’, but I could not feel my shoulder,” she explained.
The doctors recommended physical therapy. But even after Knapp completed the regimen, her shoulder was not healing. Knapp, one of four very athletic children in her family, went for X-rays and MRIs, but they came back clean. Ongoing shoulder pain forced her to stop competing in bars. But the difficult decision led to less strain on Knapp’s shoulders and eventually no more pain. Despite the physical progress, she has decided to play it safe and keep off the bars. Now she’s excited to compete at the Maccabiah in three other disciplines for Maccabi USA’s Open Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Team —vault, beam, and floor.
Returning to competition isn’t the only thing that Knapp is eagerly awaiting in Israel. She is especially looking forward to meeting people from different countries, just as she did during her first Maccabiah in 2022. “I already did it once, and it was just such an amazing experience, and now going back, it’s going to be even more amazing,” Knapp noted.
Her primary goal this summer is not to win medals or beat her competitors, but to have fun. At the last Maccabiah, 13-year-old Sophie sang the national anthem at the Opening Ceremony. “I think a thousand athletes were there, and people were scheduled to sing the national anthem to welcome athletes, and I think they got sick, so they asked me if I’d sing the national anthem,” Knapp, who also loves to play guitar, added. The Broadway performer, singer, actress, and gymnast was ready for the spur-of-the-moment show.
As Sophie awaits this summer’s excitement, the high school senior is also waiting to hear back from several universities. “I’m hoping to do college gymnastics, but I still haven’t heard from some colleges. I’ll likely be making a decision in the next couple of weeks…I’m hoping to do that and still take acting classes…I’ve always wanted to be a series regular on a TV show,” Knapp explained. As a veteran of the Maccabiah, the triple threat performer knows just how much excitement to expect. Her persistence through injury will only add to her joy in Israel this summer.
You can follow Sophie on her gymnastics Instagram @Sophieknapp2026 and her regular/acting Instagram @Sophieknapp6.
Giorgianna Heiko is a recent graduate from William & Mary with a degree in English. Currently, she works as a teacher in a Montessori school and a video editor for Pro-Israel social media influencer Danielle Yablonka. You can follow Giorgianna on social media on Instagram and LinkedIn.