Connor Fields, a BMX racer who suffered a serious crash during a semifinal event at the Tokyo Olympics on July 30, was set to leave a Tokyo hospital on Thursday.
âIâm back. Ish. Still can only stand for 5-10 min at a time but weâre working!â Fields shared on Twitter around 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, in reply to a message from USA Cycling sharing that he was âon the road to recovery.â
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Fields, who suffered a head injury in the crash, has for most of the past week been under the care of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, USA Cycling and local doctors at Tokyoâs St. Lukeâs International Hospital.
Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, Chief Medical Officer for the USOPC, announced that Fields would be leaving Japan to âreturn home to be with his friends and family in Henderson, Nevada, and start his rehabilitation.â
Last weekâs crash occurred on the opening lap of Fieldsâ qualifying heat. He was second in a tight pack of riders when his front wheel caught the back of the leader, Franceâs Romain Mahieu, and Fields crashed headfirst into the ground. Two riders fell over him in the fray.
Olympic Sports
He lay on the track for several minutes as race medical personnel attended to him at the Ariake Urban Sports Park. He was brought by ambulance to the hospital, and it was announced later that night he was awake and alert.
Mike Fields, Connorâs father, said that day his son was âalert, answering questions and moving all his limbs,â according to a Sports Illustrated report. Mike added that he was in pain and âquite subdued.â
Fieldsâ first two runs qualified him for the finals despite the crash, but he was not able to race.
Netherlandsâ Niek Kimmann, who went on to win the gold medal, said he didnât see the crash, but hoped Fields would be alright.
âHeâs been a great ambassador for the sport,â Kimmann said. âFor me, itâs sad he wasnât able to defend his gold medal [from the Rio Olympics].â
Fields seemed to be in good spirits given his situation, tweeting in response to one Twitter user, âIâm alive!!! Kinda. Give me a few weeks and we will be coming in HOT at the new studio.â
He also shared another Twitter userâs post showing a picture of Fieldsâ hospital update on an ESPN bottom ticker, writing âMomma I made it!â
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