Mel Hoskins moving around with walking stick at velodrome but is back on her bike after crash
EXCLUSIVE: Melissa Hoskins proves that her Rio Olympics are not over. Despite needing crutches to walk she has climbed back on her bike 48 hours after a horror training crash.
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THIS is the moment Melissa Hoskins proved that her Rio Olympics are not over.
The battered Australian cyclist needed crutches to walk but has bravely climbed back on her bike 48 hours after a horror training crash and looms a shock starter in the women’s team pursuit on Thursday (Friday morning AEST).
Hoskins trained with her teammates in Rio today where she defied a badly bruised hip to complete race simulation at pace around the velodrome.
She had one crutch by her side to walk but managed to smile when she was on the bike in a sign that her second Olympic campaign is far from over.
It is understood Hoskins is edging closer to being a shock starter in the 4km team pursuit on the opening day of track competition in a show of strength and character.
Just two days ago she left the Rio velodrome on a stretcher and in an ambulance after crashing at 60km/h with her teammates.
Scans in hospital cleared her of any broken bones but Hoskins faced a serious race against time to be fit to join Annette Edmondson, Amy Cure, Ashlee Ankudinoff and Georgia Baker on the start line.
As Hoskins returned to the velodrome today, her partner Rohan Dennis was riding the men’s time trial where he finished fifth behind Swiss superstar Fabian Cancellara.
After his race he was asked about how Hoskins was going and said she was a fighter.
“She wants to fight, Thursday is their qualifying maybe tomorrow might be a little bit too early but two days to the final and they’ve got four (other) girls to motivate and be strong and put them in that perfect position so they get that semi-final,” Dennis said.
“Look she wants to be there as much as anyone and wants to fight for it.”
The women’s team pursuit has a day off in between qualifying and finals which will give Hoskins even more time to recover.
Teams must nominate their starting line up the day before competition but changes can be made up until an hour before their event.
Coach Gary Sutton described his group as “rock solid” after they returned to training so soon after their fall. All bar Hoskins were back on the track the following morning.
“I know they’ve got bandages all over them (and) they’ve shown a lot of character,” Sutton said.
“What you’ve seen is an incredible turnaround because yesterday they were all over the place.
“I believe that Mel will be ready at some stage, whether it’s for the first round or second round, but we’ll wait and see.”
Hoskins is one of the most important cogs in the team that won the world title in world record time last year.
The 25-year-old from WA missed this year’s world title defence while she recovered from pneumonia as her teammates finished fifth.
The opening night of track competition in Rio will feature men’s and women’s team pursuit qualifying and men’s team sprint finals.
Originally published as Mel Hoskins moving around with walking stick at velodrome but is back on her bike after crash
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