‘We are lucky to be alive...’
BRITISH Olympic sprinter James Ellington said he and training partner Nigel Levine were lucky to be alive after a terrifying road accident in Tenerife yesterday.
The pair were sat on the same motorbike when they were hit by a car coming at them around a bend on the wrong side of the road.
Ellington, 31, sustained a broken leg that requires surgery and both athletes have pelvic injuries, which may threaten their careers at the highest level.
“I truly am blessed as I do not know how me or my training partner Nigel are still alive. Me and him are both strong characters and will be looking to bounce back from this horrific accident,” wrote Ellington, above, on Instagram, where he sent a picture of him in a hospital bed.
“Overwhelmed and truly touched by everyone’s messages and support.”
Ellington, a 100metres and 200m specialist, was a member of Britain’s gold medalwinning 4x100m relay teams at the 2014 and 2016 European Championships.
Levine, 27, is a 400m runner who won a European outdoor relay gold in 2014 and indoor relay gold in 2013.
The British squad is in Tenerife for warm-weather training. Both were wearing helmets at the time of the accident. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on their part.
World and European indoor 60m champion Richard Kilty, who is in Tenerife with Ellington and Levine, tweeted: “Jimmy is one of the toughest mates I know and absolutely gutted and heartbroken out here! Pray for Nigel! Devastated for them.” ROMANCE? What romance. For almost every person outside of Liverpool last night there was none as Plymouth failed to join the FA Cup giant-killers.
After forcing a goalless draw at Anfield, the League Two side were undone by a goal from Lucas in the 18th minute of the replay at Home Park, losing 1-0. Divock Origi had a penalty saved late on.
Newcastle beat Birmingham 3-1 and Southampton won 1-0
at home to Norwich.