Do we all remember this incredible story at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City? Australia’s Steven Bradbury achieved an unexpected gold medal in the short track speed skating event, even though he was the rank outsider, taking advantage of several mistakes by his opponents.
However, not everybody knows the story behind this gold medal. We have to jump back to the 1990’s to find out. Steven, beginning his sport career, was considered one of the most promising athletes in the world, and won 4 medals between 1991 and 1994. During the Short Track’s World Cup he suffered a bad accident: another skater’s blade sliced through Bradbury’s right thigh after a collision, it cut through to the other side and he lost four litres of blood and he needed 111 stitches. His leg needed 18 months before it was back to full strength. Not only this, unfortunately in September 2000 Bradbury broke his neck in a training accident, fracturing his C4 and C5 vertebra. Doctors told Bradbury that he would not be able to take to the ice again, but he was determined to reach another Olympics, and in 2002 he won the gold medal!
Another human being could have given up, but not Bradbury. Bradbury continued in his battle, despite all his problems, and it paid off. Now, do you still see an undeserved gold medal? What we see is a story of passion, determination, perseverance and hard work and Steven Bradbury’s winning is an example for us all.
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