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ACL injury for high-jumper but she’s confident her career can be saved. Here’s why

  • ‘Popping’ in Cecilia Yeung Man-wai’s knee was an anterior cruciate ligament injury that left the Hongkonger’s athletics future in doubt
  • But the recovery of fencer Vivian Kong Man-wai from a similar injury has given her compatriot Yeung hope

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Cecilia Yeung Man-wai had already fought back from an Achilles injury. Photo: HKAAA
High-jumper Cecilia Yeung Man-wai is trying to save her career by following in the footsteps of fencer Vivian Kong Man-wai in the hope of curing her “popping” knee.
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Yeung’s season was halted in June when she felt the popping during her warm-up at the Hong Kong Athletics Championships at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground, raising concerns for the city record-holder’s future.
“I had the thought that my high-jumping career was finished this time, especially with my Achilles tendon injury from 2019 not fully recovered,” said Yeung, who turns 28 on Sunday.

Former world No 1 Kong’s career was in jeopardy after she suffered anterior cruciate ligament injuries to her knees – the left in 2017 and right in 2019.

The injury forced Cecilia Yeung to pull out of the Hong Kong Athletics Championships in June. Photo: Shirley Chui
The injury forced Cecilia Yeung to pull out of the Hong Kong Athletics Championships in June. Photo: Shirley Chui
However, the fencer’s treatment resulted in a four-month recovery, and she went on to become Asian champion in 2018, capture world bronze and the world No 1 ranking the following year, and take another Asian gold and world bronze this year.
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That is the path that Yeung hopes to follow after she too was found to have an ACL injury to her left knee and was referred to the same physiotherapist.

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