Hit-and-run victim fights back to compete in Island Games

Thursday 06 July 2023

Competing at Guernsey 2023 will be part of a remarkable fightback from serious injury for Western Isles cyclist Christina Mackenzie.

It will be 10 months since the record-breaking MacKenzie’s pelvis was broken in four places in a hit-and-run involving a vehicle towing a trailer.

Last month, ahead of schedule, the 45-year-old competed in the Tour of Cambridgeshire. 

"It was pretty amazing," she told the BBC. "My goal after rehabilitation was to get to the International Island Games in Guernsey next month and compete for the Western Isles."

Her performance in the Tour qualified her for the UCI Cycling World Championship road race in Perthshire in August.

MacKenzie set a women's record time for cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats in 2021, taking 51 hours, five minutes and 27 seconds to complete the 839 mile journey.

She is scheduled to line up in the women’s road race, time trial and criterium in Guernsey.

Pictured: In 2021, Christina Mackenzie became the fastest woman to cycle from Land's End to John O'Groats, beating the previous record by 1 hour 40 mins.

The hit-and-run happened near Kippen, Stirlingshire, on 27 September. The driver has never been caught.

McKenzie had to learn to walk again.

After weeks of strength building and training on a turbo indoors, she ventured outside for a 45-mile training ride at the end of January which took her past the crash site.

She believes the collision has made her stronger, because "on the physical and mental side, if I can get over that, I can get over anything".

Pictured top: Christina McKenzie at the Tour of Cambridgeshire. (@lejogmack on Instagram)