Rebekah Bradford

Injuries	In June 2015 she underwent surgery on her right knee. Three months later she had an operation on her left knee. (Athlete, 27 Jan 2017) In September 2012 she suffered blood clots in her lungs and part of her lung tissue died. Although she was told there would be a minimum of a two-year recovery process, she was able to participate in the US Olympic Trials ahead of the 2014 Games in Sochi. (Athlete, 27 Jan 2017) She required surgery on both knees in October 2011 after being diagnosed with arthritis. Doctors told her it was likely she would need a total knee replacement within five years if she did not have the operation. Four months went by before she could go back to training on the ice. She missed the whole 2011/12 season as a result. (Athlete, 27 Jan 2017; stoptheclot.org, 18 Dec 2013)
Ambitions	To compete at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. (everydayhealth.com, 08 May 2014)

Club / Team

Midway Speedskating Club [USA] / FAST Speedskating Team [USA]:

Most influential person in career

Coach Marion Wohlrab. (Athlete, 27 Jan 2017)

Name of coach

Tucker Fredricks [club], USA; Marion Wohlrab [national], GER

Other information

BLOOD CLOTS In 2012 she noticed her legs began swelling after she started using birth control. She was told this was a normal reaction as the body adapted to the hormone. Later in the year, she injured her back while playing ultimate frisbee with friends and was eventually sent to see a spine specialist. Following an MRI scan, it was discovered she had pulmonary embolisms in both of her lungs, a partial infarction [dead lung tissue] and excess fluid around her right lung caused by blood clots that had burst. Further tests showed she has the Factor V Leiden gene, which can make a person more prone to blood clots. A three-month regime of blood-thinning injections helped her recover in time to compete at the US trials ahead of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. "I am proud to say that I missed making the Olympic team by only 0.1 seconds and I missed my personal best by only 0.36 seconds. I have proven to myself that there is life after blood clots." (stoptheclot.org, 18 Dec 2013) RETIREMENT AND RETURN She retired in 2014, following lengthy injury struggles, and became an executive assistant. However, the injuries persisted and after undergoing surgery on both knees in 2015 she discovered she could lift more than ever. She was curious to find out if that strength would translate to the ice, and in September 2016 she made her skating comeback. Becoming progressively faster, she made the national team for the 2017 World Cup event in Berlin, Germany. (Athlete, 27 Jan 2017) OLYMPIC TRIALS She fell just before the finish line in the 1000m at the US Olympic trials in December 2009. However, officials from US Speedskating gave her a second chance to qualify for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. In her second run she beat Kelly Gunther's leading time and qualified for her first Olympic berth. "I just did a full effort for that race. I thought it would be pretty hard to do it again. My three-year-old nephew was my hero that day. I didn't want [the fall] to be the thing he remembered about my skating." (nbcolympics.com, 05 Jan 2011)

Reason for choosing this sport

She took up the sport after watching the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, and was inspired by US skaters such as Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen. Her grandfather was also a speed skater, as were some of her aunts and uncles, so the sport was a way for her to have fun outside.

Hero / Idol	US figure skater Scott Hamilton. (Athlete, 27 Jan 2017)
Awards and honours	She won the Joey Carlson Spirit Award in 2009. (Facebook page, 07 Feb 2015)

When and where did you begin this sport?

She began skating in 1988 on frozen lakes in Plymouth, MN, United States of America.

Sporting philosophy / motto	"Do all you can with what you have wherever you are." (Athlete, 27 Jan 2017)
Memorable sporting achievement	Becoming national sprint champion and skating a personal best at the 2010 US Championships. (Athlete, 27 Jan 2017)

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