James Cracknell health: Olympian on his devastating brain injury and what he has learned

James Cracknell has devoted his life to overcoming severe trials. His achievements include winning gold at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic games, bagging six World Rowing Championship gold medals and rowing the Atlantic with broadcaster Ben Fogle.

In July 2010 he arguably met his greatest challenge. Bracknell collided with a petrol tanker while cycling in Arizona.

The trauma to his frontal lobe changed his personality and caused him to develop epilepsy and a loss of taste.

The injury has taken its toll on his professional and personal life.

He lost out on a number of TV opportunities as concern grew about his mental state. But more closer to home, it brought his marriage of 17 years to an end.

He lost out on a number of TV opportunities as concern grew about his mental state. But more closer to home, it brought his marriage of 17 years to an end.

In an interview with Ben Fogle in The Times, Fogel recalled Cracknell once saying: “It can be hard to feel like we’re a married unit any more. We’re more of a team, but in a weird way, like a sporting unit rather than a loving one . . . It’s not ideal for a marriage, but a firm base to build from, and hopefully we’ll get back to where we were. Marriage is a hard thing anyway. That is true on a magnified scale with brain injury.”

Speaking to the Mirror back in 2015, Cracknell spoke candidly about the strain it placed on his family.

“My kids had one dad for six years and another for the last five; it was very difficult for them to come to terms with,” he said.

“But Bev challenged me constantly. She refused to apologise to other people on my behalf so, often, after seeing friends, I’d wake up with a list of people I’d offended and needed to apologise to.”

Despite his injury, Cracknell’s steely resolve saw him become the oldest man to take part in the University Boat Race on April 7, 2019, where Cambridge defeated long-standing rivals Oxford.

“In sport you have to be driven, selfish and stubborn to be successful,” he said in The Times.

My kids had one dad for six years and another for the last five; it was very difficult for them to come to terms with

James Cracknell

In an interview with Ben Fogle in The Times, Fogel recalled Cracknell once saying: “It can be hard to feel like we’re a married unit any more. We’re more of a team, but in a weird way, like a sporting unit rather than a loving one . . . It’s not ideal for a marriage, but a firm base to build from, and hopefully we’ll get back to where we were. Marriage is a hard thing anyway. That is true on a magnified scale with brain injury.”

Speaking to the Mirror back in 2015, Cracknell spoke candidly about the strain it placed on his family.

“My kids had one dad for six years and another for the last five; it was very difficult for them to come to terms with,” he said.

“But Bev challenged me constantly. She refused to apologise to other people on my behalf so, often, after seeing friends, I’d wake up with a list of people I’d offended and needed to apologise to.”

Despite his injury, Cracknell’s steely resolve saw him become the oldest man to take part in the University Boat Race on April 7, 2019, where Cambridge defeated long-standing rivals Oxford.

“In sport you have to be driven, selfish and stubborn to be successful,” he said in The Times.

The symptoms of severe head injuries can be wide-ranging and require immediate medical attention because of the risk of serious brain damage, says the NHS.

Symptoms of a severe head injury include:

  • unconsciousness
  • concussion
  • difficulty speaking or staying awake
  • problems with the senses – such as hearing loss or double vision
  • repeated episodes of vomiting
  • blood or clear fluid coming from the ears or nose
  • memory loss (amnesia)
  • sudden swelling or bruising around both eyes or behind the ear
  • difficulty with walking or co-ordination

“If you have had a severe head injury and there’s a chance you may have a brain injury, you’ll have a CT scan to assess the seriousness of the injury,” adds the NHS.

Treatment depends on the severity of the trauma. Close monitoring of the condition, running a number of tests to check for further damage, treating any other injuries and breathing support or brain surgery are usually the next steps.

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