Caroline Buchanan says she will return to BMX better than ever after accident
BMX star Caroline Buchanan always knew she was tough. Now she knows it for sure after a horrific accident which broke her body but not her spirit.
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CAROLINE Buchanan always knew she was tough. Now she knows it for sure after an accident that broke her body but not her spirit.
Hit by a medical setback this week as she continues to rebuild her body after a potentially career-ending accident, Buchanan’s determination to return to the top remains as fierce as ever.
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In the news her return to racing will potentially be delayed by surgery to repair a sternum broken when an off-road vehicle rolled on her in January, hasn’t deterred this BMX champion from the task ahead — winning an elusive gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
It’s is the single biggest accolade missing from a stellar career which has seen Buchanan win a world title “pretty much every year since I started” — three in BMX and five in mountain biking.
But instead of being tentative about how far she can push herself in the wake of her injuries, including collapsed lungs and a broken sternum and nose, Buchanan says the knowledge her body can withstand so much pain will see her push harder than ever before.
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“It’s been a big life learning curve,’’ Buchanan said of the accident which put her in hospital for eight days, including three in intensive care, and which will now likely require her to have surgery on her sternum. “If I get the surgery it will be stronger in the long run.
“And once I get back I’ll be out there going for it. I know a bike can’t do the same amount of damage as an off road vehicle.
“I have a new level of what level of pain I can cope with. I have alway rode within my limits. I was always a little more cautious. Now I know what I can handle. I think I will push it more. I know I can get more out of my body.’’
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While Buchanan’s return to racing will likely be delayed from its original May date, the 27-year-old Oakley athlete says there was never any suggestion she would not return to the career she loves.
“If I have to have it (sternum) wired I would assume I will be another six weeks away from riding a bike but the good news is if I do have the surgery the sternum will be aligned and splintered,’’ she said.
“The final thing is to have the medical clearance.
“It’s another roadblock but I still have my desire. The goal is to get the gold in Tokyo and some more gold along the way.
“I just want the freedom of riding my bike.
“I will be a much stronger athlete because of this. It has lit the fire and that bit of mongrel in me.”
Originally published as Caroline Buchanan says she will return to BMX better than ever after accident
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