Sports stars who came back from injury – Injury, a terrible scenario for any sports personality who is seeing a high in his/her career. An injury blighted career often backtracks the player’s willing to play again and is mentally scarred.
Injury, a terrible scenario for any sports personality who is seeing a high in his/her career.
An injury blighted career often backtracks the player’s willing to play again and is mentally scarred. But there a few who have seen their careers lost in premature fashion but have used the injury as a driving force for bigger and better things.
These exceptional players came back from injury better than ever and created history the world over. While every athlete experienced different types of success, the below list of players thrived under similar circumstances and gained power in the eye of a defeat. What resulted are success and many more success!
Aaron Ramsey (Football)
Arsenal and Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey was signed by manager Arsene Wenger under the noses of Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2008. The French manager predicted some great things for Ramsey back then and even though his initial year started slow, year 2010 was a dreadful one for the player. Playing against Stoke City, opposition defender Ryan Shawcross sent in a flying tackle that was so horrific that it broke Ramsey’s leg.
Ramsey was supported by fans, players and management in the recovery process and after out for 10 months, the Welsh player soon made a strong comeback on the football field. His 2013/14 season with the Gunners where he scored 13 goals including a winner in the FA Cup final against Hull City was truly spectacular and Ramsey went on to become one of the best midfielders in Arsenal folklore.
Niki Lauda (Formula One)
Even though Niki Lauda went onto lose the 1976 F1 title to opponent driver James Hunt in that season, the former was far from being counted off from the being hailed as the champion. Lauda began the season with a bang recording four wins and two second-place finishes in the season’s first six races but until the German Grand Prix.
On just the race’s second lap, Lauda lost control of his Ferrari car, fell off the track and slammed into a wall. Upon collision, Lauda’s vehicle was caught up in flames, one from which the driver couldn’t escape. Though he was eventually pulled out from the car, Lauda suffered severe burns to his face and head, toxic gases that damaged his lungs and blood and was in coma. With life at stake, Lauda’s racing career seemed all but over somehow gaining courage and vigour, Lauda returned. Six weeks and two races after the fiery crash, Lauda miraculously returned to the track but eventually lost out to Hunt. A true champion!
Rafael Nadal (Tennis)
Former world number one, Rafael Nadal is another entrant to this list of players. The year 2012 was one to forget for the Spaniard. After winning his seventh French Open title earlier in the year, ‘Rafa’ hit rock bottom after losing to Lukas Rosol at Wimbledon and then had to withdraw from the 2012 Olympics, citing tendinitis of the knee.
Further embarrassment arrived when he also pulled out from Rogers Cup and Cincinnati Masters, and most importantly the US Open as well. Fans and experts worried for the Spanish ace and predicted leaky career ahead.
But the year 2013 turned out to be a watershed moment for Rafa Nadal even after pulling out from the Australian Open, the former battled injuries and form as he conquered yet another French Open title and finished runners up at the US Open 2013. With fight back in the stride, Nadal ended 2013 as the new number-one and portrayed a true fighting spirit from the Spanish champion.
Sachin Tendulkar (Cricket)
History maker and record breaker! Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has been there and done that for the game of cricket but in 2004, it could have been just the opposite. A tennis elbow injury (never heard off back then) struck the ‘Master Blaster’ a year after an exceptional World Cup in South Africa where the former was adjudged the ‘Man of the Tournament’ as India ended up runners up. Sachin said, “It took four-and-a half months to recover after the surgery on my tennis elbow. The doctor asked if I would be able to play competitive cricket at all. I hit the balls hard but the kids were able to stop them within 10-15 yards. I thought I cannot play anymore.”
But the Mumbai-born made a swift comeback in the Indian side during the 2005 India-Australia Test series and since then recorded more than 10,000 runs in both formats.
