Former AUSC Region Five Games judo gold medallist, Jasmine Martin is recovering from shoulder surgery but will get back to grips in competition late next month, writes MARK ETHERIDGE.
And she’s hoping to be chosen for Team South Africa at this year’s edition of the games in Gaborone, Botswana in December.
The 17-year-old Durban judoka shared her injury story with Team SA this week: ‘I hurt my shoulder at our national training camp in Port Elizbeth earlier this year.
‘I got hurt on 8 January and had my operation on 1 February, so I didn’t wait for long!’
Martin, who spent most of her early life in Brazil and speaks fluent Portuguese, said the setback had proved extremely frustrating.
‘But I must say I’ve learnt a lot and am hungrier to come back even stronger.
‘I was fortunate to be operated on by one of the best shoulder surgeons in South Africa, Dr Will Haynes, so it went very successfully.’
‘I’m very grateful for the support I’ve received from Prime High-Performance Centre for helping me with my rehab, especially Dr Kevin Subban and I’m so happy that my family and my coach, Johan Duckworth, are behind me 100% in my comeback.
That saw her reducing her recovery time from nine months to six months.
‘That was awesome. It was very hard, but I love challenges.
‘My particular injury was a labral tear and I had keyhole surgery to repair it, with two small incisions in the front of my shoulder and one at the back.’
The tough little fighter says she felt very little pain post-operation.
‘It’s crazy how the technology is getting better and better every day. My mobility is still not 100%, but my strength is.
‘So it’s definitely improving. I must be honest it’s been hard not being able to do what I love. But when I start competing again, no-one will be able to stop me.’
Photos: Martin with Dr Subban in Durban and her shoulder shortly after the operation
