For the second-straight year, 2012 Paralympic gold medalist Mallory Weggemann is dealing with a health issue that cost her selection to the year’s big U.S. international-level squad.
Last year, she missed the Worlds team while battling a serious illness, and this year, it was an unfortunate incident in a hotel in new York City during a promotional appearance for her newest documentary The Current that cost her an opportunity.
“At the beginning of March, I had an accident in New York City at the hotel I was staying in,” Weggemann told us this weekend. “During my shower, the shower bench in the accessible room collapsed out from underneath me causing me to have a horrific fall to the floor. As a result of the fall, I sustained very serious injuries to my hand, wrist, and arm.”
“This week I competed in the Spring CanAm Championships in Miami, FL and unfortunately the times speak for themselves. It has been a very difficult few days both physically, and emotionally. I cannot begin to express my gratitude to all the individuals who have been so incredibly supportive of me. I want to extend my congratulations to all of those who competed in the CanAm Championships, as it is the selection meet for the Team USA roster for Para Pan Pacs later this summer. I greatly appreciate everyone’s prayers and support durning this very difficult time.”
The times that Weggemann is referring to include trying to gut her way through two races in the extremely competitive S8 class in the 50 and 100 free, where she finished 12th in both races. Weggemann’s injury is so severe that she added 24 seconds to her 50 free from the time that won her gold in London – because she was swimming the race using only her right arm.
By the time Saturday rolled around, Weggemann decided to shut things down for the meet and focus on spending the summer rehabbing her injured left arm, wrist, and hand with hopes of a 2015 return.
The result is that when the roster for the 2014 Para-Pan Pacific Championships is announced later this week, Weggemann won’t be on it. This is the third-straight year of misfortune for Weggemann, in fact. In 2012 she was reclassified against faster competition in the S8 category on the eve of the Paralympic games, which derailed the 13-time World Champion and 2011 ESPY Award winner’s hopes at a bigger medal haul than the gold and bronze she did earn.
Hang in there Mallory. Focus on you.