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Our thoughts go to Alexis Rhodes (20) who is in a critical condition with head and internal injuries after a horrific traffic accident in Germany. Ranked 88 in the world for road cycling competition, she was hoping for a Commonwealth Games selection. The 2002 Female Junior Track Cyclist of the Year combines cycling with podiatry studies at the University of South Australia.
This is very tragic news. They were the Australian elite women cyclists.
For those not familiar with what happened, they were out on a training ride in Germany, when a car lost controll and crashed into them head-on - one was killed (Amy Gillett), 2 critical, rest in hospital.
The accident has virtually wiped out the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) women's road cycling program, which has now been suspended.
This also brings it home as one of the injured, Alexis Rhodes:
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The 2002 Female Junior Track Cyclist of the Year combines cycling with podiatry studies at the University of South Australia.
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Alexis Rhodes, 20, is in a critical condition with head and internal injuries.
Her parents Greg and Jenny made an immediate dash to Europe after hearing the news.
Known to her teammates at "Big Al", she was born in Alice Springs and lives in the Adelaide Hills.
The 2002 Female Junior Track Cyclist of the Year, she combined cycling with podiatry studies at the University of South Australia.
Ranked 88 in the world for road competition, she had been pushing for Commonwealth Games selection.
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Craig Payne
Department of Podiatry
La Trobe University
Melbourne, Australia http://www.latrobe.edu.au/podiatry
__________________________________________________ ___________________________________ God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things - right now I am so far behind, I will never die.
The views expressed above are those of the author and not that of La Trobe University This is where I am, where are you?
Last edited by Admin : 19th July 2005 at 11:35 PM.
John Murray, who coached Rhodes to a junior world championship, said the tenacious athlete would overcome her injuries.
"She's a tough person in that she can put up with a lot of pain," said the Adelaide Hills-based cycling coach. "She can suffer in a race far greater than anyone else I've ever seen."
Rhodes is in a stable condition in hospital, having suffered thoracic fractures, internal injuries and multiple abrasions, but is believed to be breathing on her own.
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McKenzie said Rhodes was a "very intelligent and fantastic person" who came from a wonderful, stable family and was deeply involved in her podiatry studies at the University of South Australia.
"She is covering all bases. She realises that not everyone can make a living out of cycling and that sport doesn't go on forever," McKenzie said.
South Australian Alexis Rhodes, 20, regained consciousness in intensive care and yesterday was sitting up in bed as she chatted to her family and friends....."They are doing surprisingly well. They no longer need assistance to breathe and they are talking,"
but ....
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The funeral for Amy, 29, will be held at Peter Tobin Funerals in Ballarat at 11am on Friday.
__________________
Craig Payne
Department of Podiatry
La Trobe University
Melbourne, Australia http://www.latrobe.edu.au/podiatry
__________________________________________________ ___________________________________ God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things - right now I am so far behind, I will never die.
The views expressed above are those of the author and not that of La Trobe University This is where I am, where are you?
Rhodes and Yaxley recovery 'amazing'
After the terrible accident which involved members of the Australian women road cycling team last Tuesday in the state of Thüringen, Germany, South Australian cyclist Alexis Rhodes, 20, has started physiotherapy as part of her rehabilitation and Tasmanian Louise Yaxley, 23, is recovering well from surgery in the University Clinic in Jena. Australian Institute of Sport Director, Professor Peter Fricker, said the pair remained in intensive care but doctors say they are very happy with the progress of both women.
"Alexis has done some walking and some cycling on a stationary rehabilitation bike," said Prof. Fricker. "It's pretty amazing progress for a girl in intensive care but she's determined.
SIX months after a car crashed into six cyclists training in Germany, killing talented rider Amy Gillett, two of Australia's golden girls have returned to competitive cycling.
Kate Nichols and Alexis Rhodes almost lost their lives in the crash that put five survivors in hospital.
They were teammates at the Australian Institute of Sport.
But yesterday the wind was in their wheels as they returned to racing for the Jayco Bay Classic in the streets of Williamstown.
Rhodes finished sixth, and said she did it for her best mate Amy Gillett.
Rhodes said she had not been so nervous getting on a bike since junior competitions.
"I was a bit nervous, a bit twitchy on the bike," Rhodes said.
"It was pretty emotional on the start-line, but it was great to see Simon (Amy's widower) there. "It was pretty hard, but once the gun blew.....
Alexis Rhodes, who has made a courageous comeback to top level competition after suffering horrific injuries in the German road accident last year, has also been named.
RECUPERATED cyclist Alexis Rhodes will dedicate her Commonwealth Games campaign to her late friend, Amy Gillett.
Rhodes, Gillett and four other Australian cyclists were training in eastern Germany last year when an out-of-control car struck them.
Gillett was killed, Rhodes was placed on life-support, and and three other cyclists were also taken to hospital.
Rhodes said today she would dedicate her performances at her first Commonwealth Games to Gillett, her former Australian Institute of Sport teammate.
"She is quite a big part of my life and, of course, I would like to dedicate pretty much a lot of what I am doing (in Melbourne) to her," Rhodes said.
"She is still there in my mind."
Rhodes, 21, suffered serious chest trauma and spinal injuries, including fractures in her thoracic spine, as well as seven broken bones in her back in the accident in Germany.
The cyclist from the Adelaide Hills township of Kersbrook was on life-support for several days after the July 18 crash.
"It's something that I thought I might have had taken away from me," Rhodes said of her Commonwealth Games selection.
"I got time to reflect on it and realise how much I actually do really love the sport.
"To come back and to be named in my first ever Commonwealth Games team, it has been pretty exciting but I guess now the real work starts.
"Up until now it has all been a bit of a dream, but the reality is starting to set in."
Rhodes, a noted aggressor on a bike, said the accident had irrevocably altered her outlook to the sport of cycling.
"I don't take it seriously, there is a lot more to life," she said at the cycling team's pre-Games training camp in Adelaide.
"And I think that helps me in quite a few ways, but I have actually become a better bike rider for it.
"If I have a bad day, I just put it down to a bad day.
"I don't start thinking about it and wondering 'maybe I have done this wrong or what if I do this'.
"I just sort of put it down to a bad day and move on."
The third-year podiatry student will compete in the points race with best friend and Games roommate Kate Bates, and in the individual pursuit with a road race berth now unlikely.
"Specifically, I am more there as a team player," she said.
"I mean obviously the (points) medal goes to the individual person, but if I can help ... Kate Bates win gold in the points race, it has been a successful day for me as well.
"We are rooming together. Hopefully we will be able to get enough sleep before the ride.
"She has helped me out so much in the last couple of years, and especially in the last six months.
"She has been there pretty much every day for me, so for me to help her in the points will be really quite special for me."
The velodrome was full of emotion as Australia’s Kate Bates and Rochelle Gilmore rode to gold and silver.
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Teammate Alexis Rhodes displayed immense courage taking ninth place, just eight months after she was seriously injured in Germany.
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Bates made it clear from the start that she was out to win gold. She was determined to ride in honour of Amy Gillett, who was killed while training in Germany last year, and to celebrate celebrate Rhodes courage in staging a comeback to track riding.
Rhodes commented that much of what she is doing is in memory of Amy, “I will never forget her”
The Age are reporting: Rhodes says it's time to move on
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Comeback cyclist Alexis Rhodes reckons it's time for Australia to remove the badge of courage it has pinned on her, and let her get on her bike and ride.
Despite her inspirational effort to compete in the Commonwealth Games just eight months after receiving life-threatening injuries in the German bike crash which killed Amy Gillett-Safe, Rhodes can't understand what all the fuss is about.
When asked if she was bemused by the public outpouring surrounding her comeback in last night's 25km points race, the 21-year-old South Australian had a no-nonsense reply.
"It's a bit ridiculous to tell you the truth. I mean, I did fall off my bike but people fall off their bike all the time," Rhodes said.
"I think I did what anyone would do in my situation."
Reluctant heroine she may be, but never before has 10th place in a Commonwealth Games meant so much to so many.
As well as the public kudos for fighting back from a bike crash which shocked the nation, her comeback has acted as a clarion call to her Australian cycling teammates for these Games.
Top of the list is best mate and gold medal winner Kate Bates, for whom Rhodes did the donkey-work and sacrificed her own medal hopes as part of Australian team riding instructions.
With Rhodes' week-long medically induced coma, multiple broken bones, spinal injuries and severe chest trauma from the accident now well and truly behind her, she is looking for a little "me time" in the 3000m individual pursuit tomorrow......
Alexis Rhodes was greeted with a warm cheer from the crowd when introduced before the women's points race, as the young South Australian continued her miraculous comeback from the horrific crash that claimed the life of teammate and friend Amy Gillett.
At the end of the 25-kilometre, 100-lap event, it was Rhodes who was cheering as her teammate, and best friend, Kate Bates emphatically won Australia's third track cycling gold medal, living up to coach Martin Barras' description of Bates as arguably the best points racer in the world.
As Bates raised her hand in triumph after crossing the finish line, Rhodes streamed up to her side and patted her on the back. It was a quinella for Australia with Rochelle Gilmore again second to Bates, as she was four years ago in Manchester......
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......Rhodes had said that she would give everything, not only to the Australian cause, but to help Bates win the gold medal.
She was a determined workhorse, covering any move that threatened Bates' domination.....
Tragedy in Germany - one is a Podiatry student
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