BIG INJURY BLOW HARD TO NAVIGATE
Rising star embraces excellent advice from star Aussie pentathlete following setback ahead of her first world titles
WHO do you turn to when you’re injured?
We all know someone in sport who has suffered from some form of an acute injury and a major setback. Athletes hate the words “you will need to take a break – total rest”. These words are like poison, when all you want to do is train and improve. It is extremely difficult to swallow.
It certainly becomes a challenging journey that involves much more than healing bones, tendons or tissues. It involves the mind just as much as the body. As a parent and coach, it breaks your heart and you need to think of ways to help. Really, it is a matter of helping them understand the road in front of them – knowing what to expect and how to navigate some of the twists and turns. Eventually, they will arrive at their destination but it will take a little extra time and effort.
I know as an athlete injury always tests your resolve. As a developing athlete and even worse, as an elite athlete, I was ill-prepared for major injury but had to learn the hard way. There are emotional and psychological aspects of injury and recovery.
To help the athlete, parents, coaches and physicians need to explain what to expect, what they can do, and how to rehab to recover as quickly as they can. The athlete also needs to learn how to transition back into training and competition. This can also lessen the secondary trauma, ‘the psychological hit’, that comes with injury. This secondary trauma can be as challenging as the injury itself.
Some of the issues which are real or perceived, seem insurmountable. It is daunting, scary, and sometimes challenges the athlete’s outlook on themselves. Some questions they might deal with are:
“I’m an athlete” – I need to train, I want to train!
“I’m an important part of a team” – they need me!
A loss of structure – “What do I do now I can’t train?”
A loss of a goal (or dream) – “I have spent so much time preparing, what do I do now?”
One such athlete who is currently dealing with this issue is Analiese Murphy, a 14-yearold athlete who is part of the Gold Coast Academy Future Stars program. Earlier this year she qualified and was selected in the Modern Pentathlon Australian team to compete at the Laser Run World Championships in Portugal 22-25 September.
With Covid affecting competitions over the last couple of years she was excited to have achieved one of her major goals for the year – her first World Championships. Being part of a developing team of 14 young athletes selected with the objective of being nurtured towards LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 and beyond, was something dreams are made of. Go Analiese!
But. There are always ‘buts’! A few months ago, she noticed pain in her left foot while running. Not thinking too much of it, she continued to train until her running coach advised her to have an MRI. This indicated the worst, showing two stress fractures – one in the navicular and the other in the cuboid (middle bones) of the foot.
Asked how she felt, Analiese said: “With only three weeks out from the World Champs I had a myriad of emotions – anger, frustration, anxiety and loss. Loss of something I had worked so hard for. I thought to myself, I don’t care, I’m still going to compete. I’ve trained hard with the pain for three months, what can a couple more weeks do?”
For me, as an Olympian, one of the wonderful things we can do is to speak to many amazing athletes who have achieved extraordinary things. Who better to help Analiese motivate herself again, but the person who encouraged her to start the sport in the first place.
I contacted Chloe Esposito, who then arranged with Analiese’s mum to speak to her. Mum said: “Chloe phoned and had a long conversation about choosing other options to train like swimming, deep water running and upper- body exercises and to adapt. She too had an injury only a few months before the Olympics. She nearly gave up all hope and if it weren’t for the support of her family, she didn’t think she could get through it. Her father had the same Achilles injury just before he competed in modern pentathlon in the 1984 Olympics also.
“To have someone who was in the same position, to be a source of advice and support at this time gave her hope, peace of mind and was uplifting. It was what she needed. She was advised to be patient, take time to recover, and be smart. It is important to keep your mental health and fitness going – you will get through this. Patience is the key. Ensure her diet involves plenty of protein, good carbs, vitamin C, D and calcium. Be positive, have goals and how you are going to get there. Take time to look after your body.”
What great advice from a champion. Analiese, you are 14 – we want you to be in the sport for a long time, not a short time.
When speaking to mum, she said: “The result is a young girl who has embraced all of the welcome advice and has shown to everyone she is dedicated to all of her sports. We could not be prouder of her and the mature young lady she has become.”
Good luck with your recovery Analiese. Look out 2032.