‘Fearful of sneezing': How this Australian star came back from spinal fusion and a broken leg
WNBL champion Sara Blicavs knew something was wrong with her body. The 188-centimetre basketballer was losing mobility. Much smaller point guards were starting to push her out of the key, and off the court she was unable to pick up her three-year-old nephew. She ploughed on, desperate to attend the 2024 Paris Olympics with the Opals after getting a taste as an emergency substitute on the bronze medal-winning team in Tokyo.
The source of her pain was bilateral spinal fractures – cracks coming from both directions that met in the middle of her vertebra. The fractures caused movement that eroded the spinal disc away and left bone scraping on bone.
It meant she gave up her Paris dream and underwent a spinal fusion. After more than a year's rehabilitation, she returned for the Opals on Wednesday night against New Zealand in Adelaide in an 18-point win over the Tall Ferns.
The 32-year-old said she had been so focused on the Olympics, she had blocked out the pain. Doctors later discovered she had also been playing basketball on a fracture in her tibia for months.
'You do end up kind of throwing your pain in the back of your head, and I was managing because I just wasn't thinking about it. You choose to completely switch off that part of your brain, and ignore any sign,' she said in an interview with the Victorian Institute of Sport.
'I had a broken leg as well as a broken back.'
The injuries took a toll. She had pins and needles down her right leg for half an hour after one game, and in a separate incident was bedridden for days after her back seized when trying to get up off the ground while sunbathing.
But it was only when she decided to have surgery that she realised the extent of her injury.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Age
5 hours ago
- The Age
‘I'm not going to slam swimmers': Chalmers' surprising response to Magnussen's Enhanced Games quest
World Aquatics has threatened to ban current athletes who associate with the Enhanced Games or try to compete at next year's event in Las Vegas, even if they don't take performance-enhancing drugs. Enhanced Games boss Aron D'Souza has offered to pay the legal fees of swimmers who want to challenge World Aquatics' ruling. World Aquatics will pay swimmers US $20,000 (AUD $30,000) for each gold medal at next month's world championships in Singapore. There is also a world record bonus of US $30,000 (AUD $46,200). The total swimming prize pool is $4.2 million. The Enhanced Games will pay US $250,000 for each gold medal, plus a US $1 million bonus for world records in either the 50m freestyle or 100m sprint. 'I think it'd be pretty enticing for quite a lot of athletes,' Chalmers said. 'I think that swimmers have been underpaid for a very long time at the big competitions. I've never thought about it a huge amount because you do it for the love of swimming … there's not a lot of money to be made in it. 'Look at the guy that did break the world record and his wife coming out and saying he's been to four Olympics, been in two Olympic finals, been in the world championship final consistently … [the fact] he goes from making $5000 a year to a million in one race is incredible. 'I really hope that there is a shift and that we are able to get a little bit more prize money for what we do. It's threatening World Aquatics a little bit. 'That's why they've come out and said that they're banning swimmers, which yeah, fair enough. But also, those swimmers have come out and announced their retirement.' Australian head coach Rohan Taylor added: 'I'm just focused on this team ... and providing the right environment for them; a safe, clean sport. That's what we're about. I'm not really paying attention [to it].' Chalmers has been in great form since taking 12 weeks off after the Olympics, clocking a 100m freestyle time of 47.27 seconds at the Bergen Swim Festival in Norway in April. It was faster than his silver medal-winning performance in Paris (47.48). The 26-year-old is eyeing off a fourth Olympics in LA in 2028 and preparing for the birth of his first child later this year. Loading 'It was a massive shock for me [the time of 47.27]. I'm pretty confident that I'm swimming fast,' said Chalmers, who won 100m freestyle gold at the 2023 world championships. 'This could be the year, which is really exciting. 'Our goal is to be at the Olympics in 2028 together and have our daughter in the stands watching us. 'I truly believe it's achievable. If I didn't believe it was possible, I would have retired. I'm at nine Olympic medals. It would be amazing to get to 10.' Taylor said of Chalmers' swim: 'It made my day when I saw that. I was very happy for him.'
Sydney Morning Herald
5 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘I'm not going to slam swimmers': Chalmers' surprising response to Magnussen's Enhanced Games quest
World Aquatics has threatened to ban current athletes who associate with the Enhanced Games or try to compete at next year's event in Las Vegas, even if they don't take performance-enhancing drugs. Enhanced Games boss Aron D'Souza has offered to pay the legal fees of swimmers who want to challenge World Aquatics' ruling. World Aquatics will pay swimmers US $20,000 (AUD $30,000) for each gold medal at next month's world championships in Singapore. There is also a world record bonus of US $30,000 (AUD $46,200). The total swimming prize pool is $4.2 million. The Enhanced Games will pay US $250,000 for each gold medal, plus a US $1 million bonus for world records in either the 50m freestyle or 100m sprint. 'I think it'd be pretty enticing for quite a lot of athletes,' Chalmers said. 'I think that swimmers have been underpaid for a very long time at the big competitions. I've never thought about it a huge amount because you do it for the love of swimming … there's not a lot of money to be made in it. 'Look at the guy that did break the world record and his wife coming out and saying he's been to four Olympics, been in two Olympic finals, been in the world championship final consistently … [the fact] he goes from making $5000 a year to a million in one race is incredible. 'I really hope that there is a shift and that we are able to get a little bit more prize money for what we do. It's threatening World Aquatics a little bit. 'That's why they've come out and said that they're banning swimmers, which yeah, fair enough. But also, those swimmers have come out and announced their retirement.' Australian head coach Rohan Taylor added: 'I'm just focused on this team ... and providing the right environment for them; a safe, clean sport. That's what we're about. I'm not really paying attention [to it].' Chalmers has been in great form since taking 12 weeks off after the Olympics, clocking a 100m freestyle time of 47.27 seconds at the Bergen Swim Festival in Norway in April. It was faster than his silver medal-winning performance in Paris (47.48). The 26-year-old is eyeing off a fourth Olympics in LA in 2028 and preparing for the birth of his first child later this year. Loading 'It was a massive shock for me [the time of 47.27]. I'm pretty confident that I'm swimming fast,' said Chalmers, who won 100m freestyle gold at the 2023 world championships. 'This could be the year, which is really exciting. 'Our goal is to be at the Olympics in 2028 together and have our daughter in the stands watching us. 'I truly believe it's achievable. If I didn't believe it was possible, I would have retired. I'm at nine Olympic medals. It would be amazing to get to 10.' Taylor said of Chalmers' swim: 'It made my day when I saw that. I was very happy for him.'
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Highs and lows as Fox takes gold from World Cup opener
Three-time Olympic champion Jessica Fox has finished the opening canoe slalom World Cup of the year in Spain with mixed fortunes, unable to add another medal to her C1 triumph. Jessica and younger sister Noemie took on the kayak cross event on the final day of competition at La Seu d'Urgell, which hosted racing for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Noemi, the reigning Olympic champion from Paris last year, was eliminated in the first round after an error negotiating the fourth gate. Jessica made it through to the semi-finals but placed third, just missing qualification for the four-paddler final, which was won by France's Olympic silver medallist Angele Hug. Looking to build toward a title at the world championships on her home course in Penrith in September, Jessica won gold in the C1 after turning in a shocker in the K1. In the kayak, she was docked a massive 54 seconds in penalties to finish third last in the 51-strong field. But the 30-year-old showed her composure to regroup for the canoe event and despite qualifying for the final in ninth spot she blitzed the field in the medal race. Fox finished 4.10 seconds clear to claim her 34th World Cup gold medal in the event ahead of Czech Mren Lazkano despite being penalised two seconds for nudging a gate. Noemie placed 20th after finishing an admirable ninth in the K1. "I'm super happy with that final. It was great to get out there and put out a fast run so it's a great way to start the season," said Jessica, who admitted her preparation had been affected by other commitments since winning both the C1 and K1 gold medals in Paris. "It's a new format, with one heat and then straight into the final and it didn't go so well in the kayak and I was quite disappointed so I wanted to come back and put down some good paddling. "To win on the first World Cup is a great start but still four more races to go for the World Cup series and then the world championships is the main goal of the year." In the men's K1 event Australia's Lucien Delfour had one of his best World Cup performances to win bronze. Delfour had the fastest time of the day but was relegated to third behind Frenchmen Titouan Castryck and Anatole Delassus due to a gate penalty. Three-time Olympic champion Jessica Fox has finished the opening canoe slalom World Cup of the year in Spain with mixed fortunes, unable to add another medal to her C1 triumph. Jessica and younger sister Noemie took on the kayak cross event on the final day of competition at La Seu d'Urgell, which hosted racing for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Noemi, the reigning Olympic champion from Paris last year, was eliminated in the first round after an error negotiating the fourth gate. Jessica made it through to the semi-finals but placed third, just missing qualification for the four-paddler final, which was won by France's Olympic silver medallist Angele Hug. Looking to build toward a title at the world championships on her home course in Penrith in September, Jessica won gold in the C1 after turning in a shocker in the K1. In the kayak, she was docked a massive 54 seconds in penalties to finish third last in the 51-strong field. But the 30-year-old showed her composure to regroup for the canoe event and despite qualifying for the final in ninth spot she blitzed the field in the medal race. Fox finished 4.10 seconds clear to claim her 34th World Cup gold medal in the event ahead of Czech Mren Lazkano despite being penalised two seconds for nudging a gate. Noemie placed 20th after finishing an admirable ninth in the K1. "I'm super happy with that final. It was great to get out there and put out a fast run so it's a great way to start the season," said Jessica, who admitted her preparation had been affected by other commitments since winning both the C1 and K1 gold medals in Paris. "It's a new format, with one heat and then straight into the final and it didn't go so well in the kayak and I was quite disappointed so I wanted to come back and put down some good paddling. "To win on the first World Cup is a great start but still four more races to go for the World Cup series and then the world championships is the main goal of the year." In the men's K1 event Australia's Lucien Delfour had one of his best World Cup performances to win bronze. Delfour had the fastest time of the day but was relegated to third behind Frenchmen Titouan Castryck and Anatole Delassus due to a gate penalty. Three-time Olympic champion Jessica Fox has finished the opening canoe slalom World Cup of the year in Spain with mixed fortunes, unable to add another medal to her C1 triumph. Jessica and younger sister Noemie took on the kayak cross event on the final day of competition at La Seu d'Urgell, which hosted racing for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Noemi, the reigning Olympic champion from Paris last year, was eliminated in the first round after an error negotiating the fourth gate. Jessica made it through to the semi-finals but placed third, just missing qualification for the four-paddler final, which was won by France's Olympic silver medallist Angele Hug. Looking to build toward a title at the world championships on her home course in Penrith in September, Jessica won gold in the C1 after turning in a shocker in the K1. In the kayak, she was docked a massive 54 seconds in penalties to finish third last in the 51-strong field. But the 30-year-old showed her composure to regroup for the canoe event and despite qualifying for the final in ninth spot she blitzed the field in the medal race. Fox finished 4.10 seconds clear to claim her 34th World Cup gold medal in the event ahead of Czech Mren Lazkano despite being penalised two seconds for nudging a gate. Noemie placed 20th after finishing an admirable ninth in the K1. "I'm super happy with that final. It was great to get out there and put out a fast run so it's a great way to start the season," said Jessica, who admitted her preparation had been affected by other commitments since winning both the C1 and K1 gold medals in Paris. "It's a new format, with one heat and then straight into the final and it didn't go so well in the kayak and I was quite disappointed so I wanted to come back and put down some good paddling. "To win on the first World Cup is a great start but still four more races to go for the World Cup series and then the world championships is the main goal of the year." In the men's K1 event Australia's Lucien Delfour had one of his best World Cup performances to win bronze. Delfour had the fastest time of the day but was relegated to third behind Frenchmen Titouan Castryck and Anatole Delassus due to a gate penalty.
