Yoga Body Works is proud to announce our sponsorship of professional snowboarder and avid Yoga Body Works practitioner Michaela Davis-Meehan. Davis-Meehan, who grew up in Kotara, is on route to becoming Newcastle's first Winter Olympian at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
In August 2013 the 21-year-old finished 11th place, the highest placed Australian, at the New Zealand Winter Games in Cardrona. She is currently ranked 34th in the world for her speciality event of slopestyle - an event marked by performing difficult tricks while getting the highest amplitude off of jumps. Slopestyle, a popular Winter X Games event, will make its first Winter Olympic appearance in 2014.
However, in 2010 Davis-Meehan almost had her dream of becoming an Olympic athlete shattered. The then 18-year-old sustained a compressed fracture in her back after crashing during practice at a competition in Mammoth, California. She ended up having extensive back surgery during which her spine was fused with six different screws and three rods were inserted.
During her recovery, on advice of medical practitioners, she began incorporating yoga at Yoga Body Works into her rehabilitation plan. Her rehabilitation took a year and during that time she was unsure if she would ever return to the sport. Through her engagement with Yoga Body Works and commitment to rehabilitation she persevered and has become a professional snowboarder and Olympic hopeful.
Having her presence and positive attitude at the Yoga Body Works studio and witnessing her remarkable recovery has been truly amazing. We wish her luck in securing her spot in Sochi and will continue to support her as she continues to incorporate yoga into her challenging training schedule.
To read about the amazingly positive effects she has experienced practicising yoga at Yoga Body Works check out her blog: