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Injuries rule Louis and Allen out of KNG Series
IronMan Louis out for 12 weeks ending Series hopes
Mooloolaba’s rising Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series star Kendrick Louis has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after hyper-extending his left knee causing severe damage to his kneecap and ligaments, during Sunday’s 22.8km marathon in Perth.
The 21-year-old Collaroy athlete did the injury while trying to pick up his ski at the start of the very first leg.
In a credit to his bravery, Louis battled the pain to complete the opening ski and swim legs before succumbing to the injury.
Louis, who was enjoying his breakthrough year in the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series having held the leaders ‘black singlet’ in round three at Newcastle, will be out for up to 12 weeks and will relinquish his spot in the top 10.
A distraught Louis said despite the disappointment, he was now only focused on doing the right things and making sure he didn’t compound the setback.
“I’m not looking at anything apart from getting my knee to one hundred percent,” Louis said.
“I won’t even look at the Series trial or the Coolangatta Gold until I know I am one hundred percent.
“I’ll do what ever it takes to get it right and listen to doctors and physios and make sure I get it right the first time.
“While I’m very disappointed I’m determined to work hard to get my knee right.
“A lot of people have asked me if I will be at the final few races and I will for sure.
“As far as I’m concerned I’m still part of the Series and I’m looking forward to spending some time with the nippers and fans that come to these races.”
The injury, which included a shredded posterior cruciate ligament, a ruptured fusion in the kneecap and multiple tears to ligaments, is believed to not need surgery and will heal on its own.
Louis, who was only four points behind team mate and close friend Ali Day in the overall Series standings, will now go into rehab in Sydney and will be required to keep off the leg for two weeks.
No good news at the doctors for rising star Allen
Mooloolaba’s rising IronWoman Series star Danielle Allen has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering severe ligament damage to her left foot whilst competing in Sunday’s gruelling 11.4km marathon race in Perth.
Allen was injured trying to pick up her board off the start line during the opening dash from Cottesloe beach and had surgery earlier today to have two screws inserted into her foot to hold the bone together.
The 17-year old prodigy will be sidelined for up to eight months, ending her 2011/12 IronWoman Series campaign and putting doubts over her readiness for the 2012/13 season.
Allen, who remarkably - and extremely bravely - carried the injury throughout the one and a half hour journey from Cottesloe to Scarborough, said she was disappointed but was looking forward to making a full recovery.
“It is disappointing, but there’s nothing I can really do about it now. I've just got to take it as it is, and do all the rehab work to make sure I have the best possible treatment,” Allen said.
“I guess I’ll just take my time and get back into it slowly and try and do the best I can by my foot.”
The injury, known as a lisfranc injury, saw Allen dislocate a bone in her foot and tear the ligaments that connect the forefoot and midfoot joints.
As Allen described it, “I was actually running down the beach to pick up my board, and I felt my foot buckle underneath my ankle. At first I thought it may have been a sprain, but clearly it is a lot worse,” she said.
“I’ve now got to wait until the ligaments heal and that could take up to six months. I don’t think it’s something that is going to cause me too much of an issue in the following seasons, but I’ve just go to be patient.”
The injury comes at a peculiar time for Allen as she plans to make a move from her home on the Sunshine Coast to Sydney to undertake a double degree in medicine and surgery at the University of Sydney.
The high school dux and neurosurgeon aspirant was looking at a crazy 2012 where she was aiming to cram 50 hours of study with 30 hours ironwoman training, but now that the latter is off the cards, Allen is starting to see the up side to the setback.
“It’s possibly a good thing as I’ve never really been to Sydney that much, so in a way it’s going to give me a chance to not stress about getting to training at Cronulla,” she said.
“I’ll now be able to concentrate on settling in and getting my life and studies sorted out.”
Allen, who finished ninth in Sunday’s Perth round, was enjoying a breakthrough year in the IronWoman Series and was sitting in fifth place in the overall standings.
The Series continues this weekend with the penultimate round at Coolum on February 12 before the finale at Noosa the following week.
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