Brave Hearts

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Eye Care Foundation

Page 77

The Brave Hearts
properly again. But Brumel, with the mettle of which he was moulded, swore that he would not only walk like a normal person but would get back to high-jumping and that too in competitive encounters. The reaction of most knowledgeable persons, including experts, to Brumel's resolve was one of pessimism, so much so that the November 1968 issue of the British Olympic Association's official mouth-piece the 'World Sports' carried the following write-up by the well known sports critic Neil Allen:
‘Valery is thinking of returning to sports competitions on recovery. But it appears beyond ones comprehension. It smacks of excessive exuberance.'
Thus everyone thought that Brumel would never return to the high-jump event. But there was one person, and one person alone who thought otherwise and that was none other than Valery Brumel himself.
It took Valery weeks to regain his balance and learn to walk again, though with slow and cautious steps. Once his leg was strong again, he started undergoing training exercises in and outside his home. But it was not the same. It appeared as if the greatest high-jumper in the history of the event would never get back to his old-time peak.
Just then Valery received a letter from an unknown sports fan who asked him to consult a surgeon named Gavarill Ilizarow of the town of Kurgan who had developed an expertise to stretch the bone of the foot by 6-8 inches. He had elaborated on an original method of healing the injured limbs that was confirmed as sound method after years of practice. After spending a sleepless night, Brumel went to the doctor the very next morning. On May 26, 1968 the doctor performed yet another operation on Valery which lasted a full one hour. The operation proved successful. The result was that Brumel's
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