Plant returns to full strength
BY ALEX TIGANI
For the third straight year Stuart Plant has finished in the top five of a Super Sprint.
Simply looking at the results, he celebrated a second place in 2021 (his first ever triathlon), finished fifth last year and then claimed another second place on Sunday.
However it is not the placings and final times that count for Plant.
Ultimately, it is the joy he displays with each sporting challenge after suffering temporary paralysis from a clash when playing football for NPL side Weston Workers only nine months earlier.
Plant had been paralysed for 26 hours after his neck injury postponed the NPL clash on Friday, April 29.
“I remember the kick in the head, the pain and it was a blur for a couple of minutes,” he recalled.
“Then I remember the meds coming down saying, call an ambulance and abandon the game.
“I vaguely remember saying ‘I can’t feel anything’.”
Ironically, he had planned on competing in the following week’s Port Stephens Triathlon.
By May 21 the neck brace was off and he competed in a Singleton Parkrun (5km) with a time of 24:04. He has since recorded a time of 19:24 on December 3.
“Anything that I do now I am always grateful for considering what could have happened afterwards,” Plant admitted.
“Just to be able to go for a run, improving my Parkrun times, getting back on the bike and getting back into water.
“It hampers my swimming a little bit with my neck but overall you are just happy that you can live life back to normal.”