Shropshire Judo star Kelly Edwards: I could have died
Judoka Kelly Edwards returns to major competition tomorrow revealing how she considered dicing with death in pursuit of Olympic glory.
The Shropshire athlete was forced to give up on her dream of going for gold in Rio last year after suffering multiple concussions.
The advice from neurological specialists was clear – but the 26-year-old from Telford admits it was hard to follow.
"They said if I carried on, I might die – it was that serious," said Edwards, who is part of the GB team taking part in the European Championships in Poland starting tomorrow.
"Even then I was thinking 'well I could, or I could go to the Olympic Games'. I was still having all of these crazy thoughts going through my head despite the risks.
"It was everything I'd thought about for four years and never considered not being there.
"It was devastating to miss the Olympics, but if I'd carried on and tried to get there then in the worst-case scenario, I may not be here now, or be unable to continue with a 'normal' life."
Wrekin Star member Edwards, who currently trains at the British Judo Centre of Excellence in Walsall, will compete in the -52kg category in Warsaw.
And she is confident of achieving success.
"I believe I am capable of winning a medal," added the 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medallist.
"I've demonstrated that I can perform and win matches against the top girls, it's just putting those performances together on the same day. I've done it on different days at different competitions, I just need to put it all together. I know if that happens I can be on the rostrum."
