Rio Olympics 2016: From a coma to the Games? The extraordinary bid of sailor Tess Lloyd

FROM a coma to the Rio Olympics? Tess Lloyd’s dream is becoming more of a reality after she again finished top Australian in the new women’s sailing class.

Tess Lloyd, left, and Caitlin Elks on the new Olympic women’s boat for Rio.

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UPDATE: FROM a coma to the Rio Olympics? From having to learn to walk and talk again to sailing in her first ever Games?

Tess Lloyd’s dream is becoming more of a reality regatta by regatta.

If the young sailor told she should never sail again by doctors makes her way onto the Olympic team for Rio with crewmate Caitlin Elks, she will write one of the most remarkable comeback stories in Australian sport in recent years.

Caitlin Elks and Tess Lloyd chasing an Olympic dream.

Lloyd, who underwent brain surgery after a terrible onwater accident in 2012, on Sunday finished top Australian at the Hyeres Olympic regatta with crewmate Elks in the new Olympic women’s class, the 49erFX.

“All our results are important right now,’’ Lloyd said.

“Everything has been happening really quickly and the last few months we have really been stepping things up.’’

The Rio Olympic hopeful champion was given little chance of ever sailing again when she finally woke from a three-week coma after being struck in the head by a windsurfer as she sailed a 29er skiff in a Queensland regatta.

Tess Lloyd’s old sailing partner Lewis Duncan received a bravery award after he saved his unconscious teammate when she was hit by a windsurfer during the Australian Youth Championships.

Just 17 at the time, for some reason Lloyd never forgot about her love for sailing or how to do it.

But others things didn’t come quite as easily with Lloyd needing to learn to walk and talk again during long months of rehabilitation.

“It’s all good now,’’ Lloyd said from France.

Tess Lloyd and Caitlin Elks racing in Melbourne.

Now, four years after the accident Lloyd and Elks have emerged as major contenders to secure the spot in the new Olympic women’s sailing class in Rio after finishing the majority of regattas they have done over the past year as top Australians.

Prior to Hyeres where they finished 16th, the pair were 14th at the European championships with their closest Australian rivals Olivia Price and Eliza Solly in 17th.

In Hyere their nearest oppositions from Australia was Haylee Outteridge and Nina Curtis in 20th.

The 49erFX team to race at the Olympics will be revealed in May.

Originally published as Rio Olympics 2016: From a coma to the Games? The extraordinary bid of sailor Tess Lloyd