Jarro
14th July 2007, 02:23 PM
FRENCH long jumper Salim Sdiri was speared by a javelin in a freak accident at the Rome Golden League meeting today.
Sdiri was hit by the javelin which had been launched by Finland's Tero Pitkamaki at the other side of the arena at the Olympic Stadium.
The 28-year-old Sdiri, a bronze medallist at the 2007 European indoor championships, collapsed to the ground before being taken to hospital.
The men's javelin and long jump competitions were taking place at the same time when the accident happened.
Pitkamaki appeared to lose his footing as he launched the javelin which veered off course, landing in the side of Sdiri.
When he saw what had happened, Pitkamaki held his head in his hands in shock.
"Sdiri had a 4cm injury in his right side," said Giuseppe Fischetto, one of the medics at the scene.
"The point of the javelin partially penetrated his side and he was taken to hospital. Now we will have to see if the pleural membrane was damaged or if it stopped just before the muscle."
Sdiri was lying in fourth place at the time of the incident with a jump of 7.88m from his first attempt.
Doctors at the scene said that Sdiri was conscious.
Fellow competitor Andrew Howe said he had witnessed the accident.
"I took the point of the javelin from his side and there was blood on my hands," said Howe.
"As he was being taken to hospital, he said: 'Don't worry Andrew, I'm alright'."
Today's incident was not the first time such an accident had occurred.
In January, former Olympic decathlon champion Roman Sebrle was hit in the right shoulder by a javelin thrown by an athlete during a training session in South Africa.
The Czech decathlete was told that he had 'escaped death by 20cm'.
"If the javelin had hit me 10cm more to the left, it could have damaged a lung," said Sebrle.
"Twenty centimetres higher, in the neck, it could have been a lot worse."
Sdiri was hit by the javelin which had been launched by Finland's Tero Pitkamaki at the other side of the arena at the Olympic Stadium.
The 28-year-old Sdiri, a bronze medallist at the 2007 European indoor championships, collapsed to the ground before being taken to hospital.
The men's javelin and long jump competitions were taking place at the same time when the accident happened.
Pitkamaki appeared to lose his footing as he launched the javelin which veered off course, landing in the side of Sdiri.
When he saw what had happened, Pitkamaki held his head in his hands in shock.
"Sdiri had a 4cm injury in his right side," said Giuseppe Fischetto, one of the medics at the scene.
"The point of the javelin partially penetrated his side and he was taken to hospital. Now we will have to see if the pleural membrane was damaged or if it stopped just before the muscle."
Sdiri was lying in fourth place at the time of the incident with a jump of 7.88m from his first attempt.
Doctors at the scene said that Sdiri was conscious.
Fellow competitor Andrew Howe said he had witnessed the accident.
"I took the point of the javelin from his side and there was blood on my hands," said Howe.
"As he was being taken to hospital, he said: 'Don't worry Andrew, I'm alright'."
Today's incident was not the first time such an accident had occurred.
In January, former Olympic decathlon champion Roman Sebrle was hit in the right shoulder by a javelin thrown by an athlete during a training session in South Africa.
The Czech decathlete was told that he had 'escaped death by 20cm'.
"If the javelin had hit me 10cm more to the left, it could have damaged a lung," said Sebrle.
"Twenty centimetres higher, in the neck, it could have been a lot worse."