YVES MA-KALAMBAY crumpled to the turf in tears, convinced his Olympic dream was over even although the Games in China were still three months away.
The gigantic goalkeeper knew he was in serious trouble the instant he felt his groin tear as he trained with the Belgian national squad on the sunshine island of Malta. But today the Hibs star has confounded all medical opinion and has his fingers cr
ossed his will be among the names listed by his country for next month's sporting extravaganza in Beijing.
Ma-Kalambay has already made the preliminary list for Belgium's football squad, one which will be trimmed by five when a final decision is made on Tuesday.
The Easter Road ace has high hopes of being aboard the plane that takes his nation's Olympic team to the Far East 11 days later but today admitted he's just thankful to still be in contention.
He said: "I'm holding my breath, everyone is 99 per cent sure they will be included but until the squad is finally announced we'll all be in suspense."
It's a far cry from the day when he thought it was all over, the 22-year-old told he would be out for a minimum ten weeks, a prognosis which then appeared to rule him out of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
He said: "I was in Malta with Belgium the week before Hibs' final match of last season for a training camp. I went for a cross and my leg just went. I felt something just tear apart and I knew right away it was serious. Everything just welled up, I couldn't hold on and I just broke down in tears. I couldn't walk. You know your own body best and I knew immediately it was bad."
While Ma-Kalambay had the sympathy of everyone, the feeling was there was no way he'd be back in time to force his way back into contention for Beijing.
Ma-Kalambay, however, underwent a gruelling rehabilitation programme, working from 9am to 6pm every day with a physio and doctor, confounding everyone by pulled on the gloves for the first leg of Hibs InterToto Cup tie with Swedish outfit IF Elfsborg just six weeks later.
He said: "People were expecting a minimum of ten weeks before I could get back on a football pitch. It was very hard and, to be honest, the first week was really all about helping me mentally. It was more psychological than anything because I knew if I was on my own I would just break down. We spent that first week doing a lot of talking, making me be positive and to realise being down wouldn't help me come back any earlier.
"At that stage, I couldn't really do anything, the swelling was really bad and I underwent a lot of massage to get it down. We worked nine hours a day, every day for two weeks. Slowly I began walking, stretching, building the muscle. It was long and boring but it had to be done. If I'd just done a couple of hours a day there's no way I would have made it."
And, while many have questioned Hibs' decision to enter the InterToto Cup entailing, as it did, an early start to the season, Ma-Kalambay believes already having 90 minutes under his belt may help give him an advantage over his rivals for a place on the flight to China.
He said: "Five goalkeepers have been named in the 'pre-selection' but we will fly with three. There's to be a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday but hopefully I'll get the telephone call earlier. I'm being positive about it."
Being picked for the Olympics would put Ma-Kalambay on course for the classic club-versus-country showdown with the Games kicking off on August 6, just three days before Hibs face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on the opening day of the season, and, if Belgium were to go all the way, he wouldn't be back at Easter Road until much later in the month, meaning he would also sit out vital SPL games against Falkirk and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Ma-Kalambay, however, believes Paatelainen recognises the magnitude of the appeal of the Olympics, with the likes of Chelsea pair Didier Drogba and Solomon Kalou and Barcelona's Ronaldinho all determined to play for their countries.
He said: "The gaffer knows it is a big chance for me, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most football players. As a young boy you always think of the Olympics as the athletics, the sprinters and jumpers.
"But there is a magic about the Olympics, there is something for everyone, swimming, basketball, cycling and so on.
"Now football is, hopefully, giving me the chance to take part in something the whole world will be watching. It's so totally different to the World Cup and the European Championships."
The Belgian squad will fly to Beijing on July 26 before facing Brazil, complete with Ronaldinho, in their opening game. New Zealand, with former Hibs star Chris Killen a member of their squad, and China follow.
Ma-Kalambay said: "It's a fantastic group to be in. Brazil speak for themselves while facing the host nation will be something special and, of course, I'd love to be up against Chris when we play New Zealand."
Ma-Kalambay is fully aware his absence could allow his rival for the gloves at Easter Road, Andy McNeil, the chance to become Paatelainen's No.1 with the Scotland under-21 keeper starting today's match at the Boras Arena while he sits on the bench.
But, for the time being, that's a matter he'll be pushing to the back of his mind. He said: "I'll be talking to the gaffer once I know what is happening but, while I know Andy could take over if I'm away, that's a question I'll address if and when it arises."
The full article contains 1006 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
