Montreal, July 26, 2016 – Some dramatic news for Arthur Margelidon, who had gotten his name on a ticket to represent Canada at the Under 73 kg judo competition in Rio. After breaking the head of his radial bone, the Montrealer will have to sit out this edition of the Olympic Games.

Margelidon was trying to throw an opponent during a training session when his arm got stuck.

“A broken bone was the only thing that could keep me from competing in the Olympic Games,” said Margelidon, who was supposed to have his first Olympic experience on August 8 this year. “If it was a ligament or another more common judo injury, I could bandage it up or take a cortisone shot before my matches. A broken bone is a rare thing to happen.”

Team Canada head coach Nicolas Gill, who was present at the moment of the incident, mentioned that hopes that the injury was minor were quickly shattered.

“We knew it was bad even before the X-ray or the diagnosis,” he explained. “Arthur has some grieving to do now, and how he handles it will factor into his recovery. Injuries are part of the sport. In his case, there is no such thing as quick healing, so that makes the whole thing a bit more dramatic.” 

It didn’t take long for Margelidon’s teammates, coaches and the federation to offer him their sincere support, which certainly helps in his recovery going forward.

“This just makes me even more dogged for Tokyo in 2020. I’m 22 years old and I have maybe two Olympic cycles ahead of me. I get a little twinge in my heart seeing my teammates train, but I am happy for them.”

Even though he won’t be competing, he is going to Brazil to watch the Games in the company of his father, who had already booked plane tickets and a hotel room to see his son compete.

“I’ll be right there in the bleachers watching the competition I should be a part of. I don’t want a wrist injury to be the end of my career, and I will give it my all in the next four years. This additional step to overcome makes me more motivated to make sure the Tokyo Games are even better. (In Rio), I will get a taste of what the Olympic Games are like, so the atmosphere in Tokyo won’t catch me by surprise.”

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Written by Sportcom for Judo Canada
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