NEWS

Serious accident in South Africa – Italian athlete and former European Champion survives.

By Paul Groves | 10 Mar, 2015

Fonte foto: Twitter Nielen de Klerk

Edith Niederfriniger, a vastly experienced Italian athlete, former European Champion (Fredericia, 2003), silver medallist in the World Championships, Long Distance in Canberra in 2006 and former Italian champion was involved in a terrible accident in South Africa.

Last Saturday, 7th March, in Franschhoek Pass near Villiers in South Africa, Edith Niederfriniger and Linda Scattolin, who is an Assistant Professor specialising in the area of forest pathology and an experienced long distance triathlete herself, were involved in an accident with a bus. It has not yet been firmly established but it is suspected that brake problems caused a bus carrying local rugby team to lose control and force the two athletes into the path of a truck. Medivac by helicopter took them to two different hospitals. What is left of their bikes is shown in the following photograph.


Edith and Linda were lucky to survive the crash, which cost three lives. The fatalities were amongst the passengers in the bus, along with thirty people suffering injuries. Initially there was little news coming from the hospitals other than that both Italians were lucky and that their conditions were thankfully not life-threatening. Later however more details were released. The crash has however resulted in a number of injuries that will certainly require surgery over some period of time. Edith’s injuries required several stitches to repair damage to her side and she will be facing surgery that will require metal plates being used to re-build the tibia and fibula. She also has a fractured clavicle. Despite all this she still managed a smile from her hospital bed.


Friends Jodie and Alexa have posted this image on their Facebook pages, where you can see updates of Edith and Linda.

For Linda, the latest news is that her condition is critical but not life threatening. In order to repair the damage cause by the fracture to her C6 vertebrae she has been put in an induced coma with surgery planned for Wednesday 11th. Her parents are with her and have been provided with an interpreter by the Italian Embassy. The Italian Triathlon Federation and Olympic Committee have contacted the authorities there and have made themselves available to help both the athletes and their families.

Jodie Swallow, GBR, reports on her Facebook page that “Edith (…) is getting brighter each time. Strength to her partner Linda now. She appreciates all your thoughts and is being optimistic and brave and strong. She will have more cleaning surgery on the open fracture tonight.”

Giuseppe Lorusso, who was out with them on the bike when the crash happened, posted “Dear Edith and Linda. I was right behind you when it happened, literally two bike lengths. It's all a blank right now, it happened so quickly - there was no time to react at all. I hope you both make a full speedy recovery and get right back on your bikes!!!!!”

ETU would like to wish both athletes a speedy and full recovery and safe return to their home country.