Olympics 2016: Sally Pearson draws inspiration from Mick Fanning after breaking wrist during race

SALLY Pearson knows how Mick Fanning felt standing back at the water’s edge for the first time and, like the Aussie surfer, she is determined to not feel fear.

Sally Pearson at the Australian Olympic Committee press conference marking one year to go until the Rio Olympics. Picture. Phil Hillyard

SALLY Pearson knows how Mick Fanning felt standing back at the water’s edge for the first time and, like the Aussie surfer, she refuses to feel fear.

“I am not worried about going over hurdles,” Pearson says.

“I can’t say how I will feel when I am facing the hurdle but at this point in time I don’t have any fear to go over a hurdle.”

A final answer will take time, however. After shattering her wrist in a race fall in June, and two subsequent surgeries, Pearson revealed on Wednesday she will not be back on a track to face her final and first hurdle until next year.

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“Hurdles won’t come until January. At the moment it’s just getting fit and getting this wrist right,” Pearson said.

Sally Pearson revealed she drew inspiration from watching Mick Fanning return to the water. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Pearson’s timeline will see her have just eight months to get back to top speed and defend her Olympic title at the Rio Games next year, and speaking at an AOC “One Year to Rio” event on Wednesday, the 2012 London gold medallist is confident it can be done.

But the path to a third Olympics will be more than just a physical journey for Pearson.

Re-building mental strength will be just as crucial, she admitted, after an horrific injury during a Golden League race in Rome in early June. Pearson had never broken a bone before and she more than made up for lost time: shattering three major bones in her left wrist, most of the small ones and dislocating it too.

“Pretty much the whole wrist was just ... broken,” she says.

Two operations and six screws later, Pearson now carries three big scars on her arm but she is working hard to not let any serious ones settle in her mind.

It’s a battle being waged by Fanning as well, and Pearson flicked him a text of good wishes in the wake of his shark attack last month.

Pearson shows off her knarly scars. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The pair are both based on the Gold Coast and they hung out last year at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games while rehearsing for a handover ceremony to the 2018 Games.

“It was really scary. Your heart is out of your chest,” Pearson said of the Fanning attack.

“I texted him when he got back and said “it’s so good to have you back on the Gold Coast again, hope you’re okay.” He said: “thanks, all going well.” He’s a really cool guy and it was horrible to see. I hope it doesn’t affect him too much. He seems like a strong enough guy to be able to overcome this and get back into competition.”

Sharks in the water takes some topping but Fanning’s traumatic experience and subsequent recovery rang true for Pearson in the wake of her agonising fall.

“Your mind has to be stronger than anything else in your body. People don’t understand that. At the end of the day we are human as well,” Pearson said.

“Things do go wrong for us and we can’t guarantee what’s going to happen when we are out on the sporting field, whether it be in the ocean or on a track or on a bike, wherever.

“Sometimes people have to appreciate that and give an athlete the space to recover from situations, scary situations, sad situations, injuries. Because it does take time to rebuild confidence in ourselves.”

With her wrist still stiff as a board, Pearson began “rehab training” and light running this week, and hopes to return to the track in September.

Missing the World Championships in Beijing later this month will be one of many tough moments in her recovery but Pearson said her competitive fire has never gone out.

“You are stuck in two worlds: you are really disappointed and want to give up on everything and just sulk the whole time, and stomp your feet and have a tantrum,” he said.

“But at the end of the day you love what you do and that’s why you dig in and want to get back out there. You’d do whatever it takes to get back out there.”

Originally published as Olympics 2016: Sally Pearson draws inspiration from Mick Fanning after breaking wrist during race