Elite athletes put their bodies under incredible amounts of stress. It takes a lot of work to get to the optimum level of fitness. When you combine that with their exertions on the field of play, terrible injuries can happen. Every sports star has to deal with an injury at some point.
Of course, some injuries are worse than others. Today, we’re going to look at 30 sports stars who bounced back from horrific illnesses and injuries to continue their careers. Incredibly, many of them performed even better after they returned to action. In that sense, it’s amazing what humans are capable of. We have broken bones, torn ligaments, cancer, and car crash victims in addition to many other scenarios.
But all of these athletes were able to recover and get back to competition. Scroll down to read about these remarkable human beings.
30. Petr Cech
One of the best goalkeepers to ever play in the Premier League, Cech is a Chelsea legend. He was a stalwart of Jose Mourinho’s defense during his epic first reign as manager. Of course, another aspect that makes Cech famous is his distinctive rugby helmet. But there’s a very good reason why he wears it.
In 2009, Chelsea was playing Reading when a career-defining incident happened. Stephen Hunt came flying in to tackle Cech as he went to gather the ball. The Irishman’s boot caught Cech and fractured the Chelsea keeper’s skull. He had to undergo emergency surgery. Doctors forced him to wear the helmet to avoid further damage.