Paralympic cyclist Rachel Morris in fitness fight after car accident

Beijing gold medal-winning hand-cyclist Rachel Morris is facing a battle to be fit for the Paralympics after being hit by a car last week.

The 33-year-old from Guildford was taking part in a time trial near her home when a car ran into the offside of her hand-cycle.

It left her with whiplash and shoulder injuries and destroyed the bike wheel.

Morris has reflex sympathetic dystrophy which has a serious impact on her ability to recover from injuries.

The condition causes extreme pain and related sensory abnormalities and when Morris suffers an injury, her body reacts in a damaging way, compromising her recovery.

Morris's honours

  • 2008 Paralympics - gold in time trial, fifth in road race
  • 2010 World Championships, Canada - gold in road race, gold in time trial
  • 2011 World Championships, Denmark - bronze in road race

"This has totally screwed me up," she said.

"I feel like everything I've worked for has been taken away. I can't imagine not being there, but I know how long it has taken me to recover from this type of injury before, and it was longer than I now have before the Games."

Morris is scheduled to defend her Paralympic time trial title at Brands Hatch on 5 September and she is also hoping to compete in the road race at the same venue two days later.