Swimmer wins Pacific Games medal hours after breaking foot
On the opening night of swimming finals, just over 24 hours after breaking her foot, New Caledonia's Adeline Williams gingerly made her way onto the starting blocks, on crutches, to compete in the women’s 200m breaststroke.
Tuesday evening's races at the Samoa 2019 XVI Pacific Games came just a day after Williams broke her foot in an overnight accident, but that didn't stop her winning bronze in a tightly contested race.
As she readied herself on the block, foot swollen, bruised, and wrapped, she remained focused throughout the race to claim bronze, behind Fiji's Moana Wind (silver) and Tahiti's Poerani Bertrand (gold).
Read more:
- New Caledonia reigns on second night of swimming
- Lauren Sale wins gold for Samoa in women's swimming
Of her injury, Williams told the Pacific Games News Service: “I woke up at 3am (on Monday morning) because I wanted to go to the toilet. I was on the top bunk bed and my sheet was on the ladder, and I slipped and fell one metre and broke my foot."
Since then, Williams has been seen wrapping her foot and making her way around Aquatic Centre Faleata on crutches, but the injury hasn't stopped her competing.
On Thursday morning, three days after breaking her foot and two days after her inspiring bronze medal-winning performance, Williams again hobbled her way onto the blocks to qualify for the 50m breaststroke finals that evening. She placed second in her heat and fourth overall going into the finals.
On competing injured this year, Williams said: “It’s a bit hard—this is my race. It’s a bit frustrating I’m not at my best, but I’ve got no regrets. I’m also happy to see younger swimmers in the Pacific come up and be so good! It’s frustrating for me because I like to win, but then I tell myself that it’s always a good opportunity for others. So I’m going to do my best and see how it goes.”
