Team GB athlete Rose Harvey made headlines after revealing she completed the Paris Olympics women’s marathon despite suffering from a broken leg. The 31-year-old finished in 78th place, recording a time of two hours, 51 minutes, and three seconds on race day.
Expressing her emotions, Harvey shared, “This was far from the Olympics I dreamed of, but still an experience of a lifetime,” alongside a photograph of herself on crutches upon returning to the UK. “I was eager to step onto that stage, demonstrate my abilities as part of Team GB, and make everyone proud who supported me.”
Just weeks before the event, Harvey’s training had been progressing well, but she began experiencing tightness in her hip. Despite the concern, she and her team worked diligently to ensure she was fit for the marathon. However, after a few miles into the race, she realized the extent of her injury as she battled through the remaining distance, eventually discovering she had stress fractured her femur.
Harvey, who has a personal best marathon time of 2:23:21, stated, “In any other race, I would have stopped. There were many moments when I thought I couldn’t take another step, especially during the downhills.”
She emphasized the significance of completing her Olympic marathon, saying, “Despite most of my race goals slipping away, there was still a tiny part of my Olympic dream that I could hold onto – that was finishing the Olympic marathon. I couldn’t give up. I focused on smiling, soaking up the crowd’s energy, and just putting one foot in front of the other.”
Though it was a heartbreaking experience, Harvey noted that participating in the Olympics will be a memory she cherishes forever, especially sharing the moment with her friends and family.
