- Sam Kerr was seen walking for the first time without crutches
- Australia’s 30-year-old captain injured her knee while training
- The Matildas have two Olympic qualifiers later this month
Matildas superstar Sam Kerr has been filmed walking without crutches after a knee injury ruled her out of playing for Australia at the Paris Olympics.
Australia’s captain and Chelsea star striker suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during Chelsea’s warm-weather training camp in January.
On Tuesday, Kerr’s teammate Millie Bright posted a promising update on social media about the injury.
Bright’s Instagram story, titled “This makes me happy,” showed a smiling Kerr walking in the physical therapy room without crutches.
Kerr reposted the clip on his own account and joked that it was his “top speed PB.”
Sam Kerr has been filmed walking around the physio room without crutches
The Matildas captain will not play again in 2024 due to a serious ACL injury
The Matildas will travel to Uzbekistan next week for the first match of the third and final qualifying round before the Olympic Games in July.
Kerr’s father, Roger Kerr, spoke for many football fans when he said it was “sad news” that his daughter had reinjured her knee.
“It was quite disappointing and upsetting so we’ve had a couple of restless nights,” he told Seven News.
‘I think she’s a little numb. The Olympic Games and Olympic qualifiers are approaching in February.
“He had a sort of injured World Cup and now we were all anxious and Australia was looking forward to the Olympics… it’s sad news.”
Kerr added that an ACL injury typically takes “12 months to heal,” so “hopefully in 2025 he’ll be able to get back on the field.”
She then highlighted her important workload, which leads her to play more than 50 games a year, for Chelsea and Australia.
As a unit, the Matildas need to regroup quickly – they will face Uzbekistan in a two-leg playoff in February in a bid to qualify for the Olympics.
Kerr (pictured, with teammate Kristie) injured her calf before last year’s World Cup on home soil.
Kerr, who has often referenced how Cathy Freeman’s 2000 Olympic gold medal inspired her as a young woman, participated in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.
The goal poacher was a key figure as Australia won many admirers after finishing fourth.
Her father anticipates she will aim for the next World Cup and possibly the 2028 Olympics before she hangs up her boots.