An Australian Olympic hopeful has gone to extreme measures to fast-track recovery so that he’s ready to compete at Paris 2024, opting to partially amputate the top of his ring finger after suffering a timely injury less than a month before the Games.
How far would you go to realise an Olympic dream? Some athletes are known to follow strict diets, undergo gruelling training regimens, face injuries and make personal sacrifices such as spending long periods away from family and friends to reach the highest level of their chosen sports.
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For Australian hockey player Matt Dawson, who suffered a severe injury that broke his finger, however, this meant amputating part of his finger to secure his spot in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games… and it could just be the most drastic measure we’ve ever heard.
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At the beginning of this month, just 24 days before the Australian hockey team The Kookaburras were set to kick off their Olympic campaign, defender Matt Dawson damaged his right ring finger leading to a severe break that compromised his ability to play.
Faced with a difficult decision, Dawson couldn’t bear the thought of staying at home with a cast on his finger, missing the chance to represent his nation and realise his Olympic dream. Instead, the 30-year-old opted to remove part of his finger to avoid a lengthy recovery and ensure he could still compete.
“I made an informed decision with the plastic surgeon at the time not only for the opportunity to play in Paris but for life after as well,” Dawson told 7NEWS. “The best option was for me to take the top of my finger off. It’s a bit of a change at the moment and an exciting challenge, I guess.”
Better you than me, Matt.