Keohane Makes A Welcome Return To Racing - June 1st 2005

Eleven weeks after badly breaking his leg, 24-year-old Richard Keohane will make a return to racing next weekend, 11th and 12th June at Croix en Ternois, France, in the BMCRC 600 Supersport Class onboard his tuned Honda CBR600RR. After his fantastic debut win in the first race of the series back in March, his second race was troubled with disaster. A high-side on the exit to Russell's Chicane at Snetterton resulted in the Fareham based rider breaking his Tibia and Fibula just above the ankle on his right leg, an extremely similar injury sustained by reigning British Superbike Champion John Reynolds just a few weeks before.

Having undergone extensive surgery and a number of skin grafts the injury is finally healing. Keohane has been under the watchful eye of Dr Brain Simpson who has been helping get the talented rider on the road to recovery. Hours of lazer treatment and physiotherapy later he is feeling confident with his leg and is eager to get back out and race again.

Speaking with Richard he was delighted to be making a return to racing saying 'Mentally this has been the toughest 11 weeks of my life but it certainly hasn't deterred me from racing, if anything it's made me more enthusiastic. It's been a tricky couple of months and I've been faced with issues that I've never been faced with before but I'm confident that it has made me a stronger person. My friends, family and sponsors have all been fantastic and have supported me all the way, I felt when I crashed that I had let them down but thankfully they have all stood by me throughout which I am most grateful for.

I have been testing in the last few weeks and although my leg still feels quite weak and I know that I have a lot of work to do before I am fully fit, thankfully I've not lost the ability to ride a bike. I'm feeling very happy and strong at the prospect of making a return after this amount of time but I am looking forward to getting back out there and competing. I have to start my season again and look at this setback as a challenge in what will be a challenging career for me. I'll be trying my hardest at the race next week and hope to get some good results to put me back on track and give me the confidence that I need. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all will run to plan and that I can bag myself a handful of healthy points and get my Championship prospects back on form.'

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