Chris Woakes joins the sporting stars who played through the pain

Independent

04-08-2025

Chris Woakes bravely came out to bat with a dislocated shoulder on Monday as England fell to defeat in the fifth Test against India.
The all-rounder entered proceedings at the Kia Oval with his arm in a sling tucked underneath his jumper and winced in pain as he ran between the wickets.
Here the PA news agency takes a look at some other sporting stars who persisted and played through injury.
Lucy Bronze
England were crowned European champions at the end of July having successfully defended their title from 2022 with a penalty shoot-out victory over Spain.
Bronze had been ever-present for the Lionesses after playing every minute of the tournament in Switzerland until picking up a knee injury in extra time during the final.
However, in a post-match interview Bronze revealed that she had played the entire competition with a fractured tibia.
'I've actually played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia, but no one knew. And now I've hurt my knee on the other leg,' the 33-year-old full-back told the BBC afterwards.
'I think that is why I got a lot of praise from the girls after the Sweden game because I'm in a lot of pain but that's what it takes to play for England and that's what I will do. They know that and we inspire each other by playing through things like that and it got us to the end in the end.'
Malcolm Marshall
During the West Indies tour of England in 1984, Marshall broke his hand.
The West Indies bowler sustained a double fracture to his left thumb at Headingley and remarkably managed to bat one-handed, hitting a boundary while helping Larry Gomes reach a century.
Marshall then went on to impress in the second innings, where – with a plastercast on his left hand – he took seven wickets for 53 runs to reduce England to 159 all out and the West Indies went on to win the Test.
Bert Trautmann
Playing for Manchester City in their second successive FA Cup final in 1956, Trautmann's side were leading 3-1 with 15 minutes left to play.
The City goalkeeper was then called into action to stop a cross destined for Peter Murphy and collided with the Birmingham player while making the save.
Trautmann was treated with smelling salts and a wet sponge before continuing to play in discomfort with an issue in his neck.
Only days after helping City lift the trophy, X-rays revealed that the goalkeeper had actually broken his neck during the game.
Tiger Woods
Woods produced a battling performance at the 2008 US Open, where he won his 14th major in visible pain.
The-then world number one had undergone surgery on his left knee two days after finishing second in the Masters in April.
Woods was limping at times during the tournament, but managed to force a play-off with a birdie putt on the 18th hole and made another birdie in the play-off, winning on the 91st hole.
Days after winning, Woods announced he would undergo reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and have time to rehabilitate a fracture of the left tibia in his leg.