Back injury puts Gaddum in doubt

Emily Gaddum’s Rio hopes are hanging in the balance with a back injury putting the Black Sticks’ most capped player’s Olympic swansong in doubt.

Gaddum, nee Naylor, missed the Black Sticks’ poor showing at the Champions Trophy in June due to the injury.

The 30-year-old has already made the decision to call time on her career following the Olympics.

The Olympic team is set to be named next week, but the injury is still causing her issues.

‘‘It has not been great so we will see how I go, whether I can make it or not,’’ she said.

The injury is nothing new for Gaddum. ‘‘It is a bit of a problem area for me. In the last Olympics [in 2012] I put my back out quite badly half way through it and I had to have an epidural to get me through the rest of the tournament.’’

She said rest was the key to recovering from the injury, but doubted she could fully get over it while playing hockey.

‘‘I don’t know if while I am playing hockey if it will ever leave me,’’ she said. ‘‘With playing hockey you are always bent over and you are using your back a lot.’’

She started to notice her back causing issues again during the Black Sticks’ tour to Darwin in May. Following the tournament, she has been limited in what exercise she has been able to do.

‘‘I have done a little bit of jogging and walking, but not so much hockey, so I am probably a little bit rusty,’’ she said.

But she was still holding out hope that she will be able to make it to one last tournament with the Black Sticks.

Losing Gaddum would be a big blow to the Black Sticks, who missed her defensive presence during their disappointing Champions Trophy performance. She put those performances down to pre-Olympic selection nerves.

‘‘It was not the results they were after, but I think it is tough just before Olympics,’’ she said.