Ironwoman Harriet Brown leads Aussies to world lifesaving win with injury so severe she is out for season

The surgeon couldn’t believe what he was hearing when surf ironwoman Harriet Brown went to him with a sore foot

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The surgeon couldn’t believe what he was hearing when surf ironwoman Harriet Brown went to him with a sore foot.

Barely able to walk, Brown had actually raced 13 events over two days of elite competition after suffering an injury so severe to her foot it has since required surgery.

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So serious it has forced the 28-year-old to concede defeat in her quest to win the Nutri-Grain ironwoman crown this season, the state championships and Australian titles.

Harriet Brown's season is over after foot surgery this week.

“I’m out for the duration,” said Brown after undergoing surgery this week to insert screws in her foot after a high level separation and torn ligaments between her big and second toe.

“The doctor was in disbelief I raced on it at all.”

Browns injured her foot on the first race of a two-day campaign of races for Australia at the recent world lifesaving championships in Adelaide.

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In extraordinary pain every time she put weight on the injury, Brown battled it out with her gutsy display — and gold in the board rescue and bronze in the ocean woman race — helping deliver Australia a long-awaited teams title over New Zealand.

“I was racing for Australia and there was no back up. There was no other option. I didn’t want to let anyone down.

X-ray of Ironwoman Harriet Brown's foot

“It was all about helping the team. I was so devastated because as captain I wanted to do my absolute best.

“I just wanted to help get as many point as possible. We hadn’t won since 2010 so there was pressure and such a want to be on my A-game.

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“I did the damage in the first race so its wasn’t getting any worse.

“It just really hurt a lot and to try and block that out and push through the pain was hard.

Ironwoman Harriet Brown competing in pain at the recent world championships.

“I was on some pain medication but instead of being nervous about myself I was just nervous the pain would come back.”

Brown’s foot will be in moon boot for at least six weeks with the screws removed from her foot in three months, ending any hopes of a return this season.

The second leg of the Nutri-Grain series will be raced at North Wollongong Saturday week.