Worst injuries in Olympic Games history

The Olympic Games have produced some of the most iconic sports moments in history. From eternal glory to heartbreak at the final hurdle, the Games never cease to amaze.

Read more: Tokyo Olympics 2021: Latest News, Dates, Results, Sports And Everything You Need To Know

But unfortunately, the competitive edge that comes with the world’s most popular sporting event also results in athletes sustaining quite painful injuries that, like a memorable triumph, live long in the memories of both fans and athletes.

While we hope the Tokyo Games produce as little injuries as possible, digital media website Ranker has gone ahead and produced a list of the worst Olympic injuries in the history of the Games.

Markus Schairer Breaks Neck While Snowboarding

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Austrian snowboarder Markus Schairer sustained a horrific neck injury during the quarter-finals. After attempting a jump, Schairer fell on his upper back and neck and ultimately fractured his fifth cervical vertebrae.

Incredibly, he ended up finishing the race, but was transported back to Austria immediately after for treatment.

Vincenzo Nibali Fractures His Collarbones While Cycling

In Rio, Vincenzo Nibali collided with another cyclist, which resulted in the Italian fracturing both his collarbones. While many other cyclists were also subject to some unfortunate falls, Nibali sadly had it worse than all the rest.

Annemiek van Vleuten Rips Her Face Up During the Women’s Road Race

Another gruesome cycling accident in Rio saw Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten lose her lead in the women’s road race after she came off her bike following a sharp turn. She was rushed to hospital and had to be treated for a concussion and three fractures to her spine.

Thankfully, she later posted a picture on Twitter confirming that she was okay.

Samir Ait Said Snaps Leg While Attempting a Vault

During the vaulting qualifiers, Frenchman Samir Ait Said snapped his leg when landing. To add insult to injury, the medics DROPPED him when carrying him off the apparatus.

Jaehyouk Sa Fractures His Elbow Lifting 357lbs

Weightlifting injuries are arguably the most difficult to watch. In London 2012, South Korean weightlifter Jaehyouk Sa’s elbow snapped when he attempted to lift 357 pounds.

Janos Baranyai Dislocates His Elbow Weightlifting

Hungarian weightlifter Janos Baranyai suffered an elbow injury four years before Sa, but his was far more dreadful. His right elbow popped out of place, which ended Baranyai’s hopes of making it onto the podium. He never participated in another Olympic Games after that.

Derek Redmond Pops a Hamstring Running the 400 Metre Dash

This clip still gets us teary-eyed. In 1992, Derek Redmond sustained a hamstring injury during the 400m dash. With just 175m to go, Redmond’s father rushed onto the track to help his son finish the race. This will forever be one of the most…