Page 95 - Tropic Magazine Issue 18

TROPIC • SPORT

Two views, one team

GOOD SPORTS
Tropic gets an insight into the unique athlete-physio partnership between elite MTB
rider Tracey Hannah and PhyxMe’s Megan Thomas.

Tracey Hannah Megan Thomas
OCCUPATION: Downhill mountain bike champion OCCUPATION: Physiotherapist
TEAM: Polygon UR Team COMPANY: PhyxMe Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation

How did you meet? How did you meet?
Through a mutual friend, who suggested her services to me. At the beginning of her 2015 race season, Tracey fell and
injured her AC joint (shoulder). A mutual friend recommended
Describe Megan as a physio... Tracey see me.
The first thing I thought of was cruel, she is amazing, I
haven’t met anyone like her in the 8 years I have been racing Describe Tracey as an athlete…
professionally. She really knows her stuff. Determined, humble and absolutely amazing!
The physio/athlete relationship requires a lot of trust. How Proudest moment of Tracey’s career to date?
did that develop? The 2017 World Championships here in Cairns. Tracey was in
Trust and loyalty are built over time, and Megan and I have amazing riding form, it was her home track and her race prep
been working together for over five years. I could trust her was perfect. In the final she went to ground early on the track
from the beginning because she listened to me as an athlete and was knocked unconscious. Tracey came to, jumped up and
who carried old injuries, I can trust her even more now got on her bike to continue to race. Incredibly, she finished
because she knows my body like a mechanic knows a type of third in the world! It was definitely a bittersweet moment. If
car, I don’t really have to say much and she knows the problem. she didn’t crash she would have easily won, but to finish third
after lying unconscious for all those seconds (which is huge in
It’s race day. What preparation (physical and mental) do you do? DHMTB races) is just remarkable.
Race day involves a few practice sessions and warming up,
staying hydrated and eating enough food. Mentally Does Tracey always follow your physio advice?
I will just try to relax, trust the preparation and Absolutely. She has to be completely honest with me about
listen to music before I compete. I have a structured what training she needs to do, what races she can’t miss and
routine and that is extremely important for calming we work backwards from there with every injury. The only
the race day nerves. part of my advice she forgets sometimes is the
“don’t ever fall off” part!
Proudest moment of your career to date…
My best result is being third in the World Cup If Tracey was an animal, she would be…
overall, I’m happy with that because it proves Definitely a “cougar” AKA the mountain
consistency. lion! Strong, agile, secretive and largely
solitary by nature. This cat prefers
Do you always follow the advice of your habitats with dense underbrush and
physio? rocky areas for stalking.
Yes! Without question.
If Megan was an animal, she
would be…
My guess is a chimpanzee...

95 • tropicnow.com.au