Mike Metzger injured during Sony Ericsson FMX Jam finals
American Freestyle motocross (FMX) rider, Mike Metzger sustained serious injuries after crashing in the finals of Sony Ericsson FMX Jam on Saturday, June 5th, at Steel Arena in Bratislava, Slovakia.
The 35-year-old Californian, commonly referred to as the Godfather of FMX, was riding a stock KTM 350 run, a bike with neither his gear bags nor the suspensions that he was used to, during his finals’ run on Saturday. He was, however, wearing adequate protective
gear, something that he had borrowed off his competitor, Libor Podmol.
While most of the run passed without anyone serious setback even though he was not on a more customised bike, he eventually had to pay a price as he approached the final jump. He went for a no-handed disco double can on the jump, but caught his feet and
failed to get back on the seat successfully, something that would have been avoided had he been riding his customised bike instead of the stock one. Consequently, he ended up in an ugly crash and hurt his ribs and shoulder in the process
The paramedics got to him instantly after he crashed, but the injuries turned out to be more than they could handle on the spot, so he was rushed to a hospital for further treatment. After further examination, 10 fractured ribs and a fractured collarbone
and scapula were identified.
Metzger has been showing good recovery, already able to walk, which comes as a huge relief for all those anxious to see him in the upcoming X Games.
Talking to a reporter of a leading sports network via telephone about his strong chances of making an appearance in X Games 17, the Californian said, “Last year 10 weeks out from X Games I broke my right femur and shattered my right elbow, then still finished
in 8th place in Speed and Style. I'll be back to normal in no time. I'm just trying to get as much rest as possible and let the good Lord do some healing. That's all I can do.”
ESPN recently announced him as a confirmed athlete in the Moto X Speed and Style event at their upcoming action sports mega-event in July.
Metzger, a resident of Huntington Beach, is one of the most renowned FMX athletes, credited for making valuable contributions to the progression of the sport. He introduced tricks such as “heel clickers” and “can can”. He has not only earned recognition
for his exceptional skills and innovative mind in X Games by winning the gold medal in 2002, but also made history by doing a back-flip jump over the fountains in front of Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.
The FMX fans will be hoping for Metzger to recover in time for X Games 17.
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