By Neto Baptiste
Female national cyclist, Tamiko Butler, has not given up on her professional career and hopes to revive what was a once promising pro endeavor following her recovery from a major surgery late last month.
The cyclist, who is currently in Trinidad, recently underwent a six-hour reconstructive surgery on her right shoulder after doctors had identified torn cartilage and other damage to her shoulder as the source of the athlete’s back problems.
“The opportunities are there and my pro team, DROPS Cycling, has had a great relationship with me and has always told me that if I want to come back, once I am fit that I have a place to race, so that is a consideration. Another consideration is doing ‘The Race Across Europe’ races which is something I was preparing for before they discovered the true reason behind this injury which is like the cross Europe races, I have a few of those races in mind where people are interested in me taking part as a single female,” she said.
Doctors estimate that the Antiguan would need a year to fully recover, a timeframe Butler is determined to cut in half.
The cyclist, who has won several national and Caribbean championships, said she longs for the days of her dominance both here and across the region.
“I am quite confident I will come back strong and that I will regain really good fitness and whether it’s a year from now, or three years for now, I know for sure I am going to be competing on the bike one day, but it’s just at what level. I want to go back and probably get Caribbean Championships medals again. I want to challenge that because the region has been doing really well,” Butler said.
Butler, in 2016, was contracted by the DROPS Cycling Team, a professional outfit based in Europe.
The cyclist was forced to sit out parts of the 2016/17 cycling season after doctors said she suffered from what was first thought to be a hip injury. The athlete also missed the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, because of the injury.
