Sunshine Coast triathlete Alexa Leary remains in a stable condition after serious bicycle crash

A Sunshine Coast triathlete is facing a long recovery from critical injuries but for now her family is just relieved she is still with them.

Coast triathlete Alexa Leary is in a stable condition after sustaining critical injuries in a bicycle crash at Pomona. Pictures: Social media

Friends and family of Sunshine Coast triathlete Alexa Leary have breathed a small sigh of relief after her parents confirmed their daughter had survived her injuries for another night.

The 19-year-old was on Tuesday entering her fourth night in a coma at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital after a serious bike crash in Pomona on Saturday.

Doctors on Monday discovered blood clots on her brain and her family have been told she suffered major brain damage

Alexa Leary is entering her fourth night in a coma after a serious bike crash. Picture: Instagram/@alexaleary.tri

Miss Leary’s father, Russell, said his family was taking the recovery one step at a time.

“Right now she’s stable and she’s still here which is the main thing,” Mr Leary said.

“The blood clots in the neck are pretty major and the concern now is that if they decide to give her blood thinners it could then affect the brain.

“She’s a fighter and it’s going to be a long journey if she is able to get out of this.”

Mr Leary said his daughter’s injuries were severe.

“They have repaired the knee when she had surgery on Monday but she has a fractured scapular, shoulder blade, wrist, ribs and a collapsed lung,” he said.

Miss Leary’s family has received an outpouring of support from the community. Picture: Instagram/@alexaleary.tri

Mr Leary said support received from the community had been overwhelming.

“We’ve had so many people reach out from everywhere and it’s truly amazing to see,” he said.

Miss Leary is an elite level triathlete who won four gold medals in 2015 at national titles before finishing second in 2019 at the world titles in Switzerland.

She also attended and graduated from Good Shepherd Lutheran College in 2019.

Miss Leary won four gold medals in 2015 at national titles before finishing second in 2019 at the world titles in Switzerland. Picture: Instagram/@alexaleary.tri

It was revealed on Monday that Miss Leary’s father was one of the first people on the scene of the crash.

He said he couldn’t believe his eyes.

“I always follow behind the team when she is training of a morning and as I came over the hill an ambulance raced by me,” he said.

“I kept on riding and saw Alexa lying in the gutter and in the grass and was told she had clipped the wheel of another rider causing her to fall.

“They transferred her straight to Brisbane and she has already had an operation to repair major knee damage while they also took half of her scalp off to release pressure on the brain.”

Originally published as Sunshine Coast triathlete Alexa Leary remains in a stable condition after serious bicycle crash