Mickle to Undergo Shoulder Surgery

Western Australian Institute of Sport athlete Kim Mickle will undergo shoulder surgery in Melbourne tomorrow, with the national javelin record holder to have a labral repair in an effort to be ready for competition at the Olympic Games.

The surgery will force the 30-year-old out of competition on the Australian Athletics Tour next year, before being able to compete as normal in approximately nine months. This will provide her with a two-month window to regain form before Rio 2016 launches on 5 August.

“This was not the outcome that I wanted when I chose to compete at the world titles but I take full responsibility for it. I was made very aware of the risks associated with throwing, but I honestly believed that I was capable of having a go, advancing to the final, and then being able to assess whether or not to compete in the last round on my own terms,” Mickle said.

“London 2012 was a disappointing event for me in terms of performance, so you can be sure that I will be doing everything in my power to be ready to compete at the Olympics next year. I have thrown the qualifying standard three times already, and believe that with a few good months of competing as normal I will be back to the form that I am capable of.”

Athletics Australia Head Coach, Craig Hilliard, is disappointed for Mickle, but confident that she will return a stronger athlete for competition on the grandest stage of all next year.

“It’s always disappointing to see an athlete endure an injury setback like this, but I have full confidence in Kim’s ability to rehabilitate properly and be in good shape for the Olympic Games,” Hilliard said.

“After consultation with our medical team, we know that surgery represents Kim’s best option for regaining full fitness. We now have a clear understanding of what needs to be done to ensure her recovery and she has our full support in rehabilitating in the coming months.”

-AthleticsAus