Delaney: Clukey's a gamer

Who says a luge athlete is not an athlete?

Well, no one at the United States Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid would make such a claim. And after seeing Julia Clukey on Monday it would be hard for anyone to deny it.

Clukey, a 24-year-old from Augusta, Maine, had knee surgery Sept. 28 after crashing on the Lake Placid track during summer wheel training. Eleven days after the operation, Clukey won the USA start championship.

She was back on the track this week, hobbling to the start line with crutches and a brace on her right knee.

"It's an eight week recovery, but I get one-on-one training every day," Clukey said. "I'm there (in sports medicine) every day doing exercises, therapy, ice, electrical stimulation. Anytime, I can call someone to get assistance."

Clukey sustained a ligament tear, a paritally torn meniscus and bone contusions in the August crash. She twisted her knee, and suspected something was wrong but figured she could rehabilitate the injury on her own. An MRI confirmed the damage, she had surgery and her quick recovery is due to the access to quality care all of the U.S. athletes have.