'Freak accident' that put silver medallist Zac Stubblety-Cook out of action ahead of Paris revealed
Australian swimmer Zac Stubblety-Cook has revealed the secret injury he endured less than nine months out from Paris that makes his Olympic success all the more impressive.
Stubblety-Cook, who won gold in Tokyo, put fans on the edge of their seats as he surged from last place at the final turn in his Paris heat to blow by all seven of his opponents and win it.
The 25-year-old went on the make the final and collect the silver medal behind French megastar Leon Marchand.
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But his journey to Paris was not as smooth sailing as his rivals, with the star forced out of action for the best part of a month after suffering a neck fracture.
"It caused me to have a bit of time out of the water, but I trained for three weeks with it and then had three weeks off, which sucked," Stubblety-Cook told The Sydney Morning Herald.
"I was in a good space and it just felt like I broke the momentum. It was a freak accident."
Leon Marchand (C), Zac Stubblety-Cook (L) and Caspar Corbeau (R) pose on the podium. Getty
Following the race, the Australian Olympic Committee confirmed that Stubblety-Cook had completed a five-day course of antivirals for a bout of COVID ahead of the 200m final.
In a post on Instagram, Stubblety-Cook spoke of his delight at overcoming the broken path he had endured in the build up to Paris.
"The last 6-12 months have been nothing but a wild ride full of highs and lows! To come back from breaking my neck end of last year to multiple cortisone's (sic), starting a coffee business and now dealing with COVID," the post said.
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"The emotions of all these trials and tribulations, combined with the looming pressure of defending my Olympic title, has been nothing short of a continuous roller coaster, full of doubt, and hardship.
"What makes it all possible is the best team behind me and there are no words that can express how grateful I am to those that surround me."
