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Jonathan Rea Reflects on Serious Crash During Testing

Jonathan Rea, the six-time World Superbike champion, expressed his gratitude that his injuries from a recent crash at the Phillip Island circuit during a test session were not more severe than they could have been.

The Northern Ireland native has been sidelined for the start of the 2025 season in Australia and will be unable to compete in this weekend’s round of the championship at Portimao in Portugal following multiple fractures to his left foot, which he described as a “horrible” accident.

Rea underwent successful surgery in Belfast to address his injuries and is now on the road to recovery at home. Reflecting on the incident, Rea shared his experience: “I have footage of the crash and it’s horrible. What seemed like a small little crash, all of a sudden I felt like I hit a wall or something. My bike had picked up momentum and had started flipping in the air and it came down and hit my foot quite aggressively,” he stated in a conversation with BBC Sport NI.

He acknowledged the unpredictability of such events, noting, “If that had been an upper limb or a chest or worse, I count my blessings that it was just a foot, but you’re also very unlucky as well because it’s fine margins.”

In the days following the crash, Rea faced significant pain and found the mental aspect of recovery to be particularly challenging. “It was really painful in the first couple of weeks; I have three plates and six screws in my foot. It was mentally tough too,” he remarked.

Now, as part of his recovery, he has returned to a training regime and is feeling more optimistic. However, Rea also recognized the complexities of his injuries. “Unfortunately, the fracture to my foot was a lot more complicated than I thought,” he explained. “Displaced fractures, a ligament graft as well, and with it being a load-bearing part of your body, it just needs time to heal. I’m doing everything in my power to massage that healing process.”

Source
www.bbc.com