The day of the Grand Steeple-Chase in Paris was rich in emotions for Bertrand Lestrade.
Winner of the most beautiful event in the French jumping program, the jockey went from intense joy to great fright when he broke his collarbone a few moments later in a fall in competition.
For the average person, such an injury requires several weeks to stop.
But the obstacle jockeys are made of a separate wood.
Bertrand Lestrade will return to competition this Wednesday at Auteuil, ten days after his accident.
Is this return premature?
The person concerned wants to be reassuring: “It is a very measured decision.
I have experienced this type of injury before.
I have a plate in my collarbone, but this new fracture is right next to it.
With the installation of this new plate, the risk is quite low.
Moreover, if I had been operated on Monday (it fell on Sunday), I would have been on the track last Sunday.
On the other hand, the risk would have been enormous without this operation and by respecting only a period of rest.
“The former jockey of Guillaume Macaire therefore clears all doubts about his ability to be on the track this Wednesday.
“I have regained good mobility in my arm and am ready to return to competition.
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"We are high level athletes"
Very active on social networks, Bertrand Lestrade also published on his Instagram account a cryotherapy session, carried out on Monday.
“It has nothing to do with my collarbone,” he retorts.
Due to my injury, I had time to try this method.
I will be in therapy for at least a month to see the effects it can have.
»The 31-year-old jockey is always looking for the detail that can make the difference.
“We are top athletes and in all other sports they use this method.
The effects appear to be beneficial, in particular on recovery.
I hope to gain consistency in my performance because the difficulty of our job is to be on top all the time, and not for a specific objective like for other sports.
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