Causby and That Injury ? Australian Lightweight Olympic Decision

Three days of singles trials and matrix seat racing in doubles on Sydney’s Olympic Regatta course narrowed Australia’s top lightweight scullers down to the top boats ? but in the absence of a familiar face. Sally Causby, Australia’s top lightweight woman, was forced to bow out of her Olympic dream, as she could no longer ignore a string of injuries.

This left six women racing for two Olympic spots with two-time World Champion Amber Halliday and two-time Olympian Sally Newmarch coming out on top and making up Australia’s lightweight double. Newmarch will now have the opportunity to change her Sydney Olympic result when she finished just out of the medals in fourth. Halliday goes to her first Olympics in one of Australia’s priority boats.

Causby remains on the water’s edge with only the memory of her enviable past four years of rowing which began in 2000 when she jumped directly into the medals at the international level. As a member of the lightweight quad Causby won a World Championship silver. She topped this the following year by finishing first in 2001 and in the process set a World Best time.

Causby then joined Amber Halliday in the lightweight double and beat the formidable Germans to take gold in 2002. The duo stayed in the double finishing with silver last year and in the process adding the double to Rowing Australia’s list of priority boats for the Athens Olympics.

Amber Halliday & Sally Causby win gold at 2002 World Rowing Championships in Seville, Spain
© Getty Images

But the last six months have not been kind to Causby. A series of injuring that read like an anatomy lesson started with a rib stress fracture, moved on to an abdominal strain and finished up with an injured disc in her back. ?The injuries were all rowing related and happened on the water,? says Causby. But she admits the injuries were an accumulation of her combined training that included gym work and other aerobic training.

Causby’s lifestyle now dramatically changes. Her routine of training full time with complete focus on the August Olympics turns into a world of easy physical activity and a major goal shift. ?I’ll take a rest from rowing for at least 18 months,? says Causby. ?I had always intended to have a break (from rowing) after this year, but the break has come sooner than I wanted.?

Winning gold at the Olympics has been Causby’s major focus and to miss the opportunity has been devastating for her. ?The Olympics will be a tough time for me,? admits Causby. ?I know everyone on the team and am excited, but it will be very hard for me to watch. I will make sure I have got lots of friends and family around.? Causby predicts the Germans, Romanians and Chinese will be the ones to watch at Athens ? and, of course, the Australians.

Causby remains very much involved in rowing and still plans to be back for Beijing in 2008. She was recognized last week as the South Australian Sports Institute team of the year for 2003 ? along with doubles partner, Amber Halliday and will add this honour to her 2002 Rower of the Year award and 2002 South Australia young person of the year award.

To keep informed on the Australian lightweight women’s crew go to: http://www.ngsolutions.com.au/auslightychicks/index.asp