Prague - Two years ago doctors said that she would never walk again, or if she did it would be on crutches. What happened however was nothing short of a miracle.
Not only can she now move without any problem, but she has also been able to continue doing what she loves - skydiving. What is more, only two weeks ago she won the Czech National Championship for a second time.
Thirty-three-year-old Martina Rydlová and her husband Ondřej Rydl (36) took the first place in the Free Style category, which could be described as ballet dancing in the air using a video camera.
In July, this husband and wife team, performing under the name Skyservice, participated in the World Championships in France, where they finished in eighth place.
A difficult journey
The path to skydiving success however hasn't been easy for this young lawyer from Pilsen, the capital of west Bohemia.
In 2001, she opted to use one of the most advanced parachutes available at the time. That decision proved fateful, as she was unable to control her speed and crushed her sacrum, a large, triangular bone at the base of the spine and at the upper and back part of the pelvic cavity, in the crash.
"I lost my respect for skydiving and allowed myself to jump with a parachute that I wasn't ready for. That's why I never felt sorry for myself," Martina Rydlová says while recalling the critical moments that followed.
During several months of convalescence, throughout which time she was constantly confined to her bed, she often had to deal with the negative reactions of doctors. No one wanted to risk operating on her.
"They all kept telling me that if I was going to walk, then I would do so only with crutches, and that I should forget about sports as soon as possible. But my love of skydiving kept up my hopes that I would one day jump again, and that actually helped me to recover."
Ever-present fear
Liberec trauma surgeon Stanislav Taller finally proved courageous enough to perform the operation. Though the stakes were high, the operation was a success and Rydlová is jumping again.
Nevertheless, the fear she experienced each time she was up in the air only subsided last year. "When I first went jumping about a year after the accident, I was more nervous than during my first jump. The freefall seemed to me endlessly long and I impatiently waited for my chute to open. I was also afraid of what the view of the grass would do to me just before landing."
The two-time Czech skydiving champion discreetly admits that the unlucky jump has had serious consequences on her health. To help deal with the pain she sometimes feels, Rydlová regularly practices yoga.
"That pain sometimes reminds me of what's important in life and what isn't. Paradoxically, skydiving isn't about risking your life. Instead, you learn how to respect it."
Patience above all
In addition to respect, diligent preparation is key to success. With her husband and cameraman Ondřej, Rydlová spends every summer at Czech airports, namely at their drop zone in Příbram. They also spend several weeks in Arizona.
"The Free Style discipline is judged according to difficulty, artistic expression, execution and not least of all the camerawork; that's why a competitive team must be perfectly coordinated," says Rydlová, explaining why she spends so much time in the air with her partner.
The pair of them will spend the beginning of next season training for the World Cup, which will be held next year in the Czech Republic.
