sports
Australian Swimmer Mollie O'Callaghan Cleared for Commonwealth Games Despite Spinal Stress Fractures
Australian swimmer Mollie O'Callaghan received medical clearance to compete at the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships despite lumbar spine injuries. Doctors had ordered her to stop swimming last month. She is entered in four events at the Glasgow Games starting 23 July.
Jul 15, 2:41 AM·1m read1 source
espn.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Mollie O'Callaghan has been cleared to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after scans revealed stress fractures on her lumbar spine last month. The 22-year-old Australian was initially told by doctors to stop swimming immediately and that her participation at the Games and other events was in jeopardy.
Further assessment after the Australian Swimming Trials allowed her return to competition.
O'Callaghan is scheduled to swim the 100m freestyle, 200m freestyle, 50m backstroke and mixed relay at the Games, which begin on 23 July. She will also compete at the Pan Pacific Championships that open in California on 12 August. She has won eight Olympic medals for Australia, including five golds, and is the reigning 200m freestyle Olympic and world champion.
O'Callaghan posted the details on Instagram, stating that the initial diagnosis reinforced how much representing Australia means to her. "I'll give everything I have and do my absolute best every time I race," she wrote, adding that things might look a little different at the events. bbc.co.uk reported the account from her post.
