Max Beattie finished second in the 2018 Coolangatta Gold while nursing a torn ACL, now he’s out to make the most of this summer

Max Beattie wants to make the most of this summer after missing the majority of last season due to injury.

THERE’S a good reason they’re called ironmen.

Last year against the odds, Surfers Paradise ironman Max Beattie finished second in the Coolangatta Gold while nursing a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

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The 25-year-old finished the 41.8km course only 20-minutes behind club mate and eventual winner Ali Day just a month after rupturing the ligament during a social basketball match.

Surfers Paradise ironman Max Beattie finished second in the 2018 Coolangatta Gold with a torn ACL. Picture supplied.

“I honestly thought that I hyperextended it,” Beattie said.

“I saw a physio and we did all the tests and they didn’t think it was an ACL.

“I saw another physio and they didn’t think it was an ACL either so I put the thought out of my mind.

“They still got me to have an MRI and that’s when we found out and they advised me to forego the Coolangatta Gold.”

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Beattie then faced an agonising decision; have surgery and commence the nine-month minimum recovery period or attempt to capitalise on the ‘best off-season’ of his career.

“I had such a good lead up and was having such a good season up until that point,” he said.

“I had a really promising pre-season and during gold training sessions, I was a lot closer to Ali then I ended up finishing behind him on the day.”

The three-time New Zealand ironman champion decided against surgery and instead push through the pain as he chased Coolangatta Gold and World Championship glory.

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“Board paddling was extremely hard and for five weeks, I didn’t paddle or run once,” Beattie said.

“My best leg turned into my worst leg.

“Running in and out of the water was scary but I managed to get through it.

“I didn’t tell anyone.

“I don’t believe in having excuses so I kept it to myself and just about the only people who knew were Ali (Day) and my coach.”

Surfers Paradise ironman Max Beattie finished second in the 2018 Coolangatta Gold with a torn ACL. Picture supplied.

Beattie escaped the first part of the summer with a podium Gold finish and without inflicting any further damage before undergoing surgery in February this year.

“I’ve spent the past seven or eight months trying to get back to full fitness,” he said.

Now on Sunday, Beattie gets his shot at redemption after last month securing one of the six spots on offer at the Nutri-Grain series trial.

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“I’ve had a few interrupted years through injury and other things so I want to make this summer count,” he said.

“Since I did my knee, I knew I was going to have to do it the hard way and a bit of self-doubt kept creeping in.

“I’m a long way from healed but I’m looking to be competitive and no matter what happens, my ACL isn’t going to stop me from where I want to be.”