British sprinters flown back to UK after bike crash News

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British sprinters flown back to UK after bike crash

By Daily Sports on January 25, 2017

James Ellington and Nigel Levine have been flown to a London hospital, one week after suffering career-threatening injuries in a bike crash in Spain.

The British sprinters both sustained a suspected broken pelvis, with Ellington also suffering a facial fracture and a broken leg in two places.

Ellington confirmed he will have an operation later on Tuesday.

He tweeted he had "been through some dark days" but said the procedure would be the start of his "road to recovery".

Both athletes were hit by a car on 17 January and will miss the 2017 season, which includes the World Championships in London in August.

A British Athletics statement read: "James Ellington and Nigel Levine have safely returned to the UK via air ambulance, following a road accident in Tenerife last week.

"Both athletes have been admitted to hospitals in London where they are receiving specialist medical treatment for their injuries, under the supervision of the British Athletics' medical team.

"Both James and Nigel have been overwhelmed by the support they have received since the accident last week."

The pair had been in Tenerife as part of a British Athletics group taking part in a warm-weather training camp when the accident happened.

Any pelvic injuries to sprinters are career-threatening and both athletes will need significant rehabilitation.

Ellington, 31, is a 100m and 200m specialist and a two-time Olympian who was part of the gold medal-winning 4x100m relay teams at the 2014 and 2016 European Championships.

Levine, 27, is a 400m runner who was born in Trinidad and raised in Northamptonshire.

He won a European outdoor relay gold in 2014 and an indoor relay gold in 2013. (bbc.co.uk

•Photo shows James Ellingtonand Nigel Levine

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 25, 2017