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Commonwealth Games 2018: Injury blow for Aussie golden girl Maddison Keeney

Bridget LacyThe West Australian
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WA diver Maddison Keeney is considering dropping the event she is a reigning world champion in because of a leg injury, which has rocked preparations for her second Commonwealth Games in which she was targeting three gold medals.

Keeney, 21, is wearing a moon boot on her left leg after persistent shin pain led to the discovery of the early signs of a stress fracture in her tibia.

“I’ve just been having a bit of shin pain over the start of this year and the last couple of months,” Keeney told The West Australian.

“We didn’t really find out what it was until a week or two ago.

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“I had MRIs and CTs and they were all kind of clear but I was having a lot of pain. Then we had a bone scan and they found really early onset stress fracture in my tibia.

“We do a lot of jumping so all the force is going through my shins and this is my hurdle leg, so I’m putting all my force through this leg.

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“It’s not the ideal preparation but I’m doing what I can do. I’m still diving well.”

Keeney, who snared a silver and a bronze medal at the Glasgow Games four years ago, won a breakthrough world championship title in the 1m springboard last year, but could forego the chance for Commonwealth Games gold in that event.

She won bronze in the 3m synchro and was fifth in the 3m individual at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016.

The 1m and 3m springboard events are on successive days next week, April 13 and 14.

“I’ll definitely do the 3m and 3m synchro but we’re undecided about the 1m,” Keeney said.

“I’m training now one day on and one day off, so I want the recovery time in between the events. It would be disappointing if I don’t do the 1m.

“But it’s not an Olympic event. I enjoy competing in it, but at the end of the day I have to focus on my main events.”

WA diver Maddison Keeney at the GC2018 athletes' village.
Camera IconWA diver Maddison Keeney at the GC2018 athletes' village. Credit: Danella Bevis/The West Australian

“It (three gold medals) would be a dream and obviously something I want to achieve, but I’ve got other competitions coming up after this that are more important than this in terms of diving preparing for Tokyo, so I need to think of the bigger picture outside of this. If it does get worse that could mean surgery or six months off.”

But Keeney vowed to continue her trademark bravery when it comes to her dives during competition.

“I’ve barely had any preparation but I’m confident in myself and my ability,” she said,

“I’m sticking to what I would have done anyway.

“I don’t really need to dial it back, I just need to get through it.

“Definitely a couple of medals I’m looking to walk away with.

“But I just need to dive my best and give it all I can.”

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