Australian Olympic sailing prospect breaks arms

by Sail-World.com on 6 Oct 2007 One of Australia's veteran sailors and a medal prospect ahead of next year's Qingdao Olympics has been dealt a blow after breaking both arms in a mountain bike accident.

Yngling keelboat class sailor Nicky Bethwaite was mountain biking with a friend on a rural fire trail near Wiseman's Ferry, north of Sydney, last Friday when she clipped a rock and came off her bike.

The two-time Olympian landed roughly on her hands, breaking both arms, Her companion Elizabeth Hurst went for help and Bethwaite was airlifted to Sydney's Westmead Hospital where she underwent surgery to have plates fitted in both arms.

The Sydney-based sailing veteran remained defiant saying she hoped to return to sailing within four weeks despite her accident.

'I don't see this as a major disruption to my Olympic Games training,' Bethwaite said. 'My arms should be mended in four to six weeks. I am lucky that the breaks were clean ones and I hope to be back sailing in four weeks, and back full-time training and sailing in three months. If it wasn't for the plates, I would have spent nine months recovering.'

At 52, Bethwaite is one of Australia's most senior athletes, having competed in the 470 dinghy class at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, finishing sixth and in the Yngling class with current crewmate Karyn Gojnich at the 2004 Athens games, finishing 13th.

The Yngling crew of Bethwaite, Gojnich and Angela Farrell qualified Australia for the Beijing Olympics at the world championships in Portugal in July.

The Australian sailing team for Beijing will be announced in Sydney on October 18. and Bethwaites name was expected to ber amongst them

Australian Sailing Team (AST) officials said they were monitoring Bethwaite's situation just two weeks before the team for Beijing is announced.

'Nicky Bethwaite's situation is an unfortunate accident. The Australian Sailing Team is currently seeking medical advice to ascertain the extent of her injuries,' Yachting Australia chief executive Phil Jones said.

'Until such time, we are unable to speculate further'.