Cyclist Eltje Malzbender has come back from a horrific crash to make a Paralympic potential squad.
Eltje Malzbender has come back from the brink of death after a cycling crash to be on the cusp of representing New Zealand.
The Cambridge physiotherapist almost lost her life after crashing off her bike while cycling on an isolated Waikato road in March last year.
Malzbender was found lying bloodied and unconscious near the tiny beach settlement of Marokopa, west of Waitomo Caves, by a passing motorist.
A former national champion runner in her native Germany, Malzbender suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and spent six weeks in intensive care and the high dependency units at Waikato Hospital.
She was in a coma for three months and when she finally emerged she had no recollection of the accident, which she suspects was a hit and run, and no memory of major life events including that her brother had died years earlier.
But in a stunning show of courage and fighting spirit the 55-year-old is close to representing her adopted country; with a recent win in her first competitive race since the crash rocketing her into an elite squad targeting New Zealand's 2020 Paralympics Tokyo team.
Malzbender's rise up the ranks comes after months of rehabilitation through brain injury clinics in Auckland.
She has been left with ataxia, a condition that severely effects her balance, and she wears an eye patch to prevent double vision from a damaged eye muscle that requires surgery.
Simple tasks like getting out of bed in the morning are time-consuming and require extra concentration and she has short-term memory loss.
"If I brush my teeth I have to check my toothbrush, whether it's wet, it's that bad."
From the first time she was wheeled into a rehab gym she wanted to get back on a bike, not because of her competitive nature but because Malzbender says cycling was her biggest stress reliever.
"I certainly miss that. Apparently when I started talking, and I can't remember this, but I yelled across the room [to a friend] 'John get me back on my bike'.
"I've been on the bike six times a week since."
Malzbender defied expectations - ataxia leaves most patients in a wheelchair or on a walking frame - and every day she goes to the gym or to the Te Awamutu pool, to work on fitness, strength and core stability.
Through it all Malzbender has displayed courage and determination in her recovery, becoming an inspiration to those around her including family friend Rachel Blake.
"She's fiercely independent and determined to keep improving," Blake said.
Eltje Malzbender before the crash at the Waihi Midsummer Madness finish line. Photo / Supplied.
Malzbender still has the bike she crashed off, using it on a stand for training, and despite everything her sense of humour is still in tact.
Para Cycling coach Mike Bland said Malzbender has what it takes to make New Zealand's 2020 Paralympics team for Tokyo.
In May at her first competitive meet since the accident Malzbender won gold in her time-trial and road race having only entered the national race two weeks prior.
"That was quite an achievement. She obviously smoked it so that was great."
Bland trained Malzbender at the Cambridge velodrome before her crash, helping her to a win of the C Grade Women's Tour.
Malzbender can no longer ride a two-wheel bike so with Bland's help she began training on a static exercise bike.
From there she progressed to an adult tricycle on the infield at the Avantidrome, and now onto roads around Cambridge on the three-wheeler.
At 18kg the tricycle is three times as heavy as a light-weight racing bike and much harder to manoeuvre.
"They're quite bulky and cumbersome things to ride but Eltje's going well. She's averaging 25 kilometres an hour and we're planning to get her over 30kmh."
Malzbender's success at this year's nationals in tri-cycling elevated her to the Paralympic Potential Programme and Bland says she has a good chance of making the Paralympic squad.
"There are some technical requirements we are polishing and then building her endurance over the winter time to focus on the speed work as we come into summer [ahead of the 2018 nationals]."
Bland said Malzbender had a huge drive and showed real commitment to both cycling and her recovery.
"She's got a real strong focus to succeed. She's a champion athlete. The one thing that always holds athletes back is that mental ability and Eltje's got that in droves."
