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“I’m not a good swimmer at the best of times but I think I was Michael Phelps heading back into shore.”
These are the words of Lions ruckman Archie Smith, who finished 2016 in hospital after a run-in with a stingray.
The incident happened on the morning of New Year's Eve at Nobby Beach on the Gold Coast.
“There would have been about 300 people out there with me. Unfortunately I jumped over a wave and annoyed a stingray and he shot a barb into my foot,” Smith told LionsTV at training this morning.
An ambulance was called and Smith was taken to hospital to remove the barb cutting short any plans of New Year festivities.
The 21-year-old said despite the setback, his recovery is coming along well.
“Thankfully it’s been a pretty quick healing process.
“I’m off the crutches, I’m starting to run around again and put some weight on it so hopefully it doesn’t affect too much of the pre-season.”
“I haven’t been on my legs for two weeks so it’s just getting those kilometres into the legs again and getting feeling back into the foot.
“It’s progressing a lot faster than expected.”
Smith is confident of a return to full training next Friday.
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Safe to say the stingray won this round #whataretheodds pic.twitter.com/b5xhxGzChr
— Archie Smith (@ArchieSmith_) January 1, 2017
