Dragila undergoes surgery (again)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/276217.html

Dragila undergoes surgery
She still hopes to make the 2008 Olympic team.
By John Schumacher - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 12:11 am PDT Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C6

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Sacramento Bee file, 2004/Hector Amezcua Stacy Dragila said of her Achilles' tendon injury: "Sure, it was devastating."


Stacy Dragila has had it with Achilles' tendons. Comebacks? That's another story.

The pole-vault pioneer from Auburn remains hopeful she can compete for a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team after undergoing surgery last week in Palo Alto to repair a small tear in her left Achilles' tendon.

Dragila, who won the first women's pole-vault gold medal at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, had undergone surgery in June 2006 to repair two tears in her right Achilles' tendon.


After missing 20 months of competition, she returned to the track in late April, jumping in four meets. She cleared a season-best 14 feet, 9 inches in Eugene, Ore., in late May.

While that was well off her one-time American record of 15-10, Dragila saw signs of progress. But an MRI taken just before the USA Outdoor Championships in June showed a tear.

So Dragila, 36, didn't get a chance to compete for a spot in the upcoming IAAF World Championships. Instead, she's beginning a rehabilitation process she hopes will have her jumping again near the end of the indoor season early next year.

"That would be an awesome goal for me," she said Monday. "I don't think I pushed rehab as aggressively as I could have (last time)."

Dragila said she was scheduled to be on crutches for two weeks, in a boot for four weeks and running again within three months. The 2008 Olympics in Beijing remain on her radar.

"Sure, it was devastating," she said of the second Achilles' injury. "I guess I'll definitely be fresh. I'm trying to look at it with a positive perspective."

Dragila won the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials with a 15-7 effort, but she battled Achilles' problems leading up to the Olympic Games, where she failed to advance out of qualifying.

Jenn Stuczynski, who broke Dragila's American record with a 16-0 jump June 2, won the USA Outdoor title with a 14-7 1/4 effort. Runner-up Nikole Mc-Ewen cleared the same height, with five other vaulters at 14-3 1/4.

"Nothing dramatic has happened," Dragila said. "I really feel like I could still be in the hunt.

"I'm not done until I feel in my heart I'm done."

[Powervaulter]

Tough break! I really hope she can make it back.

[VaultNinja]

You gotta love Stacy. She's all heart, and a huge inspiration. She'll be back.