Alexandre Lefevre Today, we are going to discuss the injuries that can occur during sports competitions, particularly during the Olympic Games. A recent example is that of badminton champion Carolina Marin, who injured her left knee at the Paris Games. This situation leads us to question: are injuries an integral part of the Olympic Games?
Injuries at the Olympic Games: an often overlooked aspect
It is common to forget that injuries are an integral part of the Olympic Games. They can be of different natures, ranging from minor injuries like tendonitis caused by the repetition of movements, to more serious injuries that occur during events. A recent example is Carolina Marin, Olympic champion in 2016, who had to withdraw from the Tokyo Games due to a knee injury. Unfortunately, during a match, she injured herself again when landing after a smash.
These injuries are frequent because athletes are fully committed to their discipline, intensely stressing their bodies. According to Gérard and Juilen Holz, authors of the book “Legends of the Games” published by Gründ, since the beginning of the Games, there have been 110 injuries and two fatalities.
The first injury as early as 1896
The first injury in the history of the Olympic Games during an event was of a wrestling champion. In 1896, during a match, Mr. Christopoulos from Patras injured his shoulder while throwing his opponent to the ground. This injury forced him to stay in bed for a week, thus preventing him from competing. Unfortunately, this also influenced the outcome of the tournament, where he was expected to perform well.
Athletes often struggle to accept their injuries. Some, like Greg Louganis and Carolina Marin, try to continue competing despite everything. In diving, Louganis had opened his skull on the diving board. After getting stitches, he returned to the board and won the gold medal. As for Carolina Marin, despite her efforts to continue with a knee brace, she had to withdraw from the competition to the applause of the crowd.
A necessary evil
Injuries are an integral part of the life of champions. They are sometimes necessary to allow athletes to take a step back and rebuild themselves. While the aspect of victory and medals is often highlighted, the aspect of injury and resilience is just as important in the career of a high-level athlete. It pushes them to mobilize inner resources to move forward.
A concrete example is that of Samir Aït Said, a great French gymnast. During the Rio Games in 2016, he suffered a serious injury to his tibia and fibula during the vault event. Despite this, he succeeded in returning for the Tokyo Games and finished in 4th place in the rings competition. This resilience and determination are essential qualities in a champion. We extend all our support and positive thoughts to him.
Source of the article: Francetvinfo
