No Hawaii for Michael Raelert
Still plagued by injury. Plans to defend 70.3 World Title.
Andreas and Michael Raelert will have to wait until 2012 to face each other at the Ironman Hawaii World Championships.
Doctors have advised Michael that he should not race in Kona, but he does plan on defending his Ironman 70.3 World Championship title on September 11th in Las Vegas.
The following statement was made on the Raelert Brothers Website:
“Still two weeks after canceling his Ironman debut in Frankfurt due to his injury, Michael physical condition is from a therapeutic view not as good as it would a allowed a start at the Ironman 70.3 European championships in Wiesbaden without any risk.
His doctors even advised against a participation in the ironman world’s in 2011 in Kailua-Kona. The risk for him to contract long term damage in the muscles is just too high to take. Sounding this out Andreas and Michael had made the hard decision not to start together in Hawaii 2011.
So the great dream the two brothers share has to be shifted into 2012. so michael chooses the 70.3 world’s on 11 September 2011 in Las Vegas as his season highlight and defend his last year’s title.”
He further stated on Facebook:
“DNS: these words bring me down to the reality of a dark room. I feel so bad complaining about being injured compare for example to the kids and their fams with sma – spinal muscular atrophy – “www.muskeln-fuer-muskeln.org“. But it is what it is. I am pretty much sad, frustrated and tired of fighting all the time and get ready for the my goals and dreams. I hate to say these words, because they are not in my vocabulary, but I am “giving up”. I will not compete in Kona.”
” Right now, I am in the hand of the best specialists docs (josi, uli and christoph) and physio-therapist (fredi) in the world. special thanks to them already. at the moment I am on Andy’s side and i will support him with his Kona-preparation as good as I can. Thank you so much for the lovely comments I’ve got. Cheers Michi”
