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Injured Polish luger defies 'dark thoughts' at Beijing Olympics
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Injured Polish luger defies 'dark thoughts' at Beijing Olympics
A Polish luger who feared his Beijing 2022 dreams were over when he was seriously injured testing the Olympic track will compete at the Games next month -- but with deep mental and physical scars.
Mateusz Sochowicz ended up in hospital with the bone of his right leg poking out and a fractured left kneecap after he smashed into a closed gate on the official Beijing luge course in November.
The 25-year-old struck the barrier -- which should have been open -- during a training session designed to allow competitors to familiarise themselves with the track.
He made plain his anger afterwards, saying he could have been killed and calling the staff at the venue "incompetent".
The Pole will return to the scene of the crash when the Olympics start on February 4, but his preparations have been badly hampered and he admits just turning up will be a victory of sorts.
"My thoughts about the Games were dark," Sochowicz, who will compete with metal wires and pins holding his knee together, told the official Olympic news service.
"At the very beginning I had a big grudge against people who hurt me, but I decided that nobody did it on purpose."
After surgery, Sochowicz said he had to start again from scratch.
"Instead of training, I had to learn to walk from the beginning. When my rivals improved their ride and form, I was gradually getting back in shape.
"I proved to myself that nothing is impossible.”
Just two months after the potentially fatal incident, he was back in action, but it was far from easy.
"I wanted to try but I was so scared of my leg," he said. "I felt like I was (competing) for the first time.
"I was not entirely sure if it was a good idea, but I trust my skills and I know what I am capable of."
P.T.Bartels--BlnAP
