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The Real World alum Melinda Collins finished second in The Challenge: All Stars 2, marking the first time she competed in a final. She returned for All Stars 3, hoping to take home the title this time, but had to withdraw due to an injury. In a tweet following her exit, Melinda clarified the situation, explaining she reinjured her ankle during the daily mission.

The Challenge All Stars 3 female cast suspended during The Challenge All Stars 3
Cast suspended during a daily mission in ‘The Challenge: All Stars 3’ Episode 2 | Laura Barisonzi/Paramount+

Melinda Collins explained the ankle injury that led to her quitting ‘The Challenge: All Stars 3’

During The Challenge: All Stars 3, Melinda (Stolp) Collins quit prior to facing Tina (Barta) Bridges in an elimination. The Real World star explained she injured her ankle several times during the final and didn’t feel well enough to compete on it.

Following her exit, a fan page wondered how Melinda got medically cleared to compete due to her recent injury. The account pointed out that All Stars 2 finished filming only three months before season 3 began.

Melinda replied, explaining her ankle began “healing nicely” and noted that medical did clear her to participate. However, she claimed she reinjured her ankle during that week’s challenge, “Out of Reach,” when she fell 30 feet into the water. “Can’t predict that would’ve happened,” she added.

Another fan commented about how “tricky” ankle injuries are, and Melinda replied, “I’ve never had an injury like that before, so I just trusted the people who were telling me it was better, that it was better.” However, she admitted returning within six weeks might have been “too fast.”

Melinda placed second in ‘The Challenge: All Stars 2’

After last appearing in 2012’s Battle of the Seasons, Melinda returned for spinoff The Challenge: All Stars 2.

She joined the King’s Palace alliance alongside The Real World: Austin roommate Nehemiah Clark which helped her advance throughout the competition.

However, it also placed a target on her back, and she ended up in an elimination against Tina. The reality star won by default when the two-time finalist quit. A couple of weeks later, she found herself in the Arena again, this time alongside teammate Nehemiah.

After eliminating Jasmine Reynaud and Laterrian Wallace, the partners won the last daily mission before competing in the finals. The teammates got lost in the beginning but eventually finished in second place. 

‘The Challenge: All Stars 2’ marks her first finals appearance in a four-season career

The Real World star returned for All Stars 3 alongside Nehemiah and another cast member from her original season, Wes Bergmann. Before the second challenge began, she revealed she rolled her ankle four times during the All Stars 2 final and still felt “sharp pain.”

For the daily mission, the players were suspended over 30 feet above the water and had to swing themselves high enough to knock over a box containing a key that opened another container holding puzzle pieces. The first six competitors to complete the puzzle formed the Authority.

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‘The Challenge’: Tina Barta Clarifies Why She Quit ‘All Stars 2’; Says It Was a ‘Weighted Decision’

When deliberating who they wanted to face the challenge’s losers, Laterrian Wallace and Tina (Barta) Bridges, the group decided to save one male and one female and vote from the remaining. Therefore, it left Syrus Yarbough, Mark Long, Nehemiah Clark, Roni Chance, Veronica Portillo, and Melinda as options.

Kailah Casillas pointed out that Nehemiah, Wes, and Melinda would likely remain loyal to each other due to their over-decade-long friendship. It’s not clear who voted for whom, but Melinda and Mark found themselves nominated. Shortly before competing against friend Tina in the elimination round, Melinda withdrew, feeling unable to perform on her ankle. The Challenge: All Stars 3 airs Wednesdays on Paramount+.

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