So much of being an athlete is pushing one's body to the absolute limits. It's why we shower sportsmen and sportswomen with so much praise after all, because they're capable of achieving results and going the extra mile, making their bodies do incredible things through sheer grit and determination alone.
But what happens when we push too hard? When we end up biting off more than we can chew, running too long, or lifting too much, or going to far without a break or a breather? The results can be disastrous and agonising, as the following video shows. Be warned: this footage is not for the faint-hearted, so if you're squeamish then look away now.
Have a look at the uncomfortable footage from the accident in the video below:The video, which has currently gone viral on social media, shows weightlifter Yaroslav Radoshkevich attempting to lift a 250kg, weight after failing on his first two attempts at the World Raw Powerlifting Eurasian Championship in Khabarovsk, Russia. Despite suffering an ankle injury previously, the 20-year-old athlete neglected to heed advice not too push himself too far.
When he tried for the third time to heft the gigantic barbell, his leg buckled, and then snapped like a dry branch, leading him to collapse and break the bone in different places; to the horror or spectators and spotters witnessing the scene. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed that the young man had suffered from a double-closed fracture of his shinbone, and complete fracture of his ankle. He will now require six months to recover from his injuries.
Commenting on the incident in a later interview, Radoshkevich stated: "I can hardly return to this sport following such an injury. I had achieved a lot but I will have to quit my hopes and ambitions as rehabilitation will approximately take six months."
This sadly isn't the first time we've covered a graphic accident of this nature. Check out this video, which shows a female weightlifter breaking an arm at a weightlifting championship.