Express & Star

Five sports heroes who defied injury

Golfer Jason Day literally got up off the floor to challenge for the US Open at the weekend.

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Despite eventually falling short at the tournament, Day's willingness to continue despite suffering vertigo at Chambers Green brought him admirers from across the globe.

Lewis Cox takes a look at five other sporting stars who refused to let injury defeat them.

1. Bert Trautmann

Trautmann is perhaps the ultimate when it comes to battling on through advertisy.

In the 75th minute of the 1956 FA Cup final, Birmingham City's Peter Murphy cracked his knee against Trautmann's neck, the 'keeper was dazed and unsteady.

With no substitutes allowed he battled on and led City to glory. It was later revealed the brave stopper had broken his neck, dislocating five vertebrae, he was fortunate to be alive.

2. Derek Redmond

As a 4x400m relay runner, Redmond saw success, winning gold at Commonwealth Games, European and World Championships. But it was at the highest level of all, the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona that the British runner is remembered for.

With a career blighted by injuries, he famously tore his hamstring in the 400m semi-final, but still managed to finish the lap of the track with assistance from his father to a standing ovation.

It has become a fondly-remembered moment in Olympic history, earning Redmond appearances in TV ads and documentaries.

3. Martin Brundle

The 1996 Melbourne Grand Prix was Brundle's debut for the Jordan team. But an incident involving David Coulthard and Johnny Herbert was no doubt one of the more spine-chilling in the former McLaren driver's career.

Martin Brundle

After Coulthard had swerved across the track, Brundle's Jordan barrel-rolled across the gravel trap, before notably splitting in two.

Incredibly, Brundle got out and after being checked over, jumped into the reserve car and re-joined the action. Asked his thoughts during the horror, he cooly replied: "I thought, Martin, this is not good'."

4. Terry Butcher

Butcher's blood-soaked picture became one of the most iconic images ever involving an England footballer. Early on in a World Cup qualifier against Sweden in 1989, he suffered a deep cut to the forehead and after a number of stitches and an infamous (at the time) white bandage.

Due to centre-half's constant heading of the ball, the stitches became undone and an iconic image of Butcher, inset left, almost head-to-toe in his own blood, was flashed around the world.

Colin Cowdrey

5. Colin Cowdrey

Legendary Cowdrey had a 20-year Test career for England, and one of the most incredible feats of which was to England over the line in 1963 against the West Indies at Lord's, the day after breaking his arm courtesy of a Wes Hall delivery. Cowdrey strode to the wicket with his arm in fresh plaster, while at the other end,David Allen calmly dispatched the six runs England needed to win.

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