Shoulder injury may keep Oz swimmer Rice out of Commonwealth Games

August 19th, 2010 - 12:54 pm ICT by ANI  

Melbourne, Aug 19 (ANI): Australian swimming star Stephanie Rice’s shoulder injury may keep her out of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, as she revealed that she may need surgery after failing to make the 50m butterfly final at the Pan-Pacific Championships in California today.

The triple Beijing Olympic gold medallist is suffering from an inflamed bursar and has had seven cortisone injections to her shoulder, three more than what doctors recommend.

“I’m not allowed to have anymore (injections) because it starts to impact your shoulder and make it weaker anyway. Surgery is looking very possible at this point in time, and I’m obviously just trying to put it off,” Rice said.

The current plan is to compete in Delhi, and then immediately have surgery after the Commonwealth Games and aim for the 2011 national trials in April and the 2012 London Olympics, The Herald Sun reports.

“It is only a clean-out, it’s not a reconstruction. They say four weeks out of the water and a 12-week rehab, so it’s not that bad, but I want to do it as soon as possible (after the Commonwealth Games) to give myself the right amount of time to prepare,” Rice said about the surgery.

Rice swam her personal best in the 50m-butterfly heat, but it was only the 17th best time of the 19 competitors in the event.

Rice was scheduled to swim in seven events at the Panpacs, but cut it back to three, and after the morning heat, conceded that she could abandon the meet if her right shoulder flares up.

If the shoulder holds up, Rice will swim the 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle later this week. (ANI)

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