Canadian diver in hospital after hitting head on board
Posted June 13, 2012 7:25 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
MADRID, SPAIN (NEWS1130) – One of Canada’s top divers, and a big medal hopeful in the London Olympics, has been hurt. There are questions about whether he will be able to compete in the Games this summer.
Two-time Olympic silver medalist Alexandre Despatie has a 10-centimetre gash on his head after a diving accident in Spain.
The 27-year-old from Laval, Quebec was hurt while performing an inward triple flip, striking the board full-force below his hairline after losing his balance. He was bleeding as he was pulled from the water, but it seems he did not lose consciousness.
Despatie is in hospital; he needed surgery to close the cut, but he appears to be positive.
“He’s tweeting, sending out messages to his followers and Canadian diving fans, that he’s feeling great and is still focused on the London Olympic Games,” explains Ann Schmaltz, News1130’s Sports Director. “It sounds like this is just a little bit of a bump in his training, pardon the pun, and he’ll be back in the pool as soon as he can.”
Diving Canada tells the Canadian Press there is training Despatie can do on land before he gets back in the water to prepare for the London Games. About 60 per cent of a divers’ training is done outside of the water.
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