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Stephanie Inglis’ battle to join the list of great sporting comebacks

12 May 2017

Commonwealth Judo medalist Stephanie Inglis was involved in a horrific motorcycle crash in Vietnam last year. Despite the severity of the head and neck injuries she suffered – she was originally given just a 1% chance of survival – she told Timeline about her dreams of competing once more in the sport she loves.

Stephanie has been warned by one surgeon not to resume a contact sport like judo. But she still holds out hope of making a return to the mat.

Stephanie’s story

BBC Scotland has been following Stephanie’s recovery closely for the last 12 months

If Stephanie is able to compete at the Commonwealth Games again, she won't be the first athlete to overcome the odds and get back to top level competition...

Niki Lauda

At Nurburgring in 1976 Niki Lauda became trapped inside his Ferrari when it swerved off the track before bouncing back into the path of the oncoming cars and catching fire.

His injuries were so severe that a priest was called to give him the last rites.

But Lauda returned to racing just six weeks later and regained his world championship title in 1977.

Monica Seles

Monica Seles was stabbed in the back by a fan during a match in Hamburg in 1993.

At the time of the attack she was world number one women's tennis player.

Seles returned to competitive tennis more than two years after the attack and won a ninth Grand Slam in Australia in 1996.

Nancy Kerrigan

Figure skater Nancy Kerrigan’s 1994 Olympic dreams were very nearly shattered when she was attacked by an associate of one her main rivals, Tonya Harding.

Despite being clubbed on her right knee with a metal baton, Kerrigan recovered in time for the 1994 Games and secured a silver medal.

Brian Clough

Sometimes it isn't possible to come back from a severe injury. But that doesn't necessarily end a person’s involvement with a sport.

One of English football most celebrated managers, Brian Clough, had been a prolific striker until his playing career was curtailed by a knee injury.

Cloughie went on to win many trophies as a manager, including two consecutive European Cups with Nottingham Forest.

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