Sam aiming to be back in team bobsleigh for Beijing

Just over 10 weeks ago Professor Mackay received a phone call from Sam Blanchet a former pro rugby player who is now a member of the GB Bobsleigh Team aiming to compete at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022. Devastatingly Sam had ruptured his achilles tendon. With the games less than a year away Sam had talked over his surgical options with among others, former Bobsleigh Olympic medal winner John Jackson. John suffered the same injury and had InternalBrace surgery before making a stunning recovery to be part of the team that took Bronze at the Sochi games in 2014. Sam decided to travel to Scotland and underwent InternalBrace surgery with The Mackay Clinic as he felt that the accelerated recovery this method offers means he will still achieve his dream of taking part in the Beijing Games.

We have been getting regular updates from Sam since his surgery then and he has been working hard on intensive rehab. We were understandably thrilled to see this recent video of what he has achieved at 10.5 weeks. You can follow Sam’s own instagram stories of his recovery rehab process here.

Sam also recently discussed his return from injury on the road to the winter Olympics in a podcast with @injuryarmour which you can listen to here. He also discusses honestly his problems and recovery from concussion and other injuries during his time playing rugby union and how he came to swap a rugby ball for hurtling down icy slopes in a bobsleigh.

We are sure that Sam will continue to recover with the same determination he has shown in the past to reach his Olympic goal and we look forward to following his journey.