Australian swimmer Shayna Jack successfully underwent surgery on Sunday back home in Australia, and will rejoin the team in three weeks in Spain.
Jack fractured her 4th metacarpal (hand bone) earlier this week in the training pool at the World Championships in Barcelona in what is being called a “freak accident.”
Jack was swimming into the wall in the warmup pool when the swimmer in front of her turned and pushed off. Jack’s finger was caught in the other swimmer’s suit, pulling her finger back.
The break has been described as a ‘clean break,’ meaning a more straightforward surgery and recovery.
Jack posted a post-surgery picture on her Instagram on Sunday morning, as well as an X-Ray showing that doctors have implanted a screw to help the broken bone heal.
While most of the Australian team that is doing the Worlds-Commonwealths double will stay in Europe in-between the two events, Jack flew home to Australia for surgery.
The surgery was done at St. Andrews War Memorial Hospital in Queensland. Jack says that she plans to rejoin the Australian team in Chartres, France on July 15 for final preparations for the Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games begin on July 28 in Birmingham, England.
The 2022 World Championships were Jack’s return to the international stage after a 24-month anti-doping suspension. Jack tested positive for the banned anabolic agent Ligandrol and was initially suspended for four years. Upon appeal, she successfully convinced arbiters that she did not ingest the substance intentionally, and had that suspension reduced to two years.
Jack’s meet started off well – she won gold in the 400 free relay and silver in the mixed 400 free relay. That included a 52.65 anchor on the women’s 400 free relay and a prelims split of 52.92 on the mixed 400 medley relay. Jack was injured before the start of the individual 100 free, where she was a strong medal contender. Her 52.60 in the 100 free, done in March, still ranks her #2 in the world this year, behind only her countrymate Mollie O’Callaghan.
Oh man I’m in the hospital. I guess WADA can’t perform a drug test. Shucks!
Just curious anyone know who the other swimmer was? Isn’t there any culpability?
Culpability… really? She got entangled in someone else’s suit. It happens. Nobody’s fault.
How do you know where you there ?? If something can be done to keep swimmers safe during competition then why is that a negative thing ? Could potentially end someone’s career these injuries and you act all cool about it ?
It sounds like it was an unfortunate accident. These things happen and it’s awful for Shayna but I don’t think it’s a situation where we need to try and shame the other swimmer.
That is impressively quick. Hope she gets well soon.
I first heard it on the news that she slipped and fell. So much for investigative journalism I guess…
Anyway, that is a freak accident and hope she gets well soon.