Eamon Sullivan Recovering in Australia After Fifth Hip Operation

PHOENIX, Arizona, January 12. OLYMPIC medalist Eamon Sullivan is recuperating today after undergoing hip surgery to remove a bone spur caused by extensive training during the holidays.

Sullivan is no stranger to hip surgery. Tuesday's operation was his fifth in his swimming career, according to various reports coming from Australia. His last hip surgery took place last year, and rehabilitation forced him to withdraw from the world championships.

Sullivan said he will compete at the Commonwealth Games Trials, to be held March 16-21 in Sydney, but he is not certain he will be fit enough to place in the top two in the sprint freestyles and qualify for an individual event for the Commonwealth Games.

"This time around I am going to make sure I don't rush myself and really make sure I just get my body 100 percent," Sullivan told the Herald.

Sullivan can still qualify for the Commonwealth team if he places high enough in the 100 freestyle for a relay berth. He told the Herald he also has a chance to make the Pan Pacific championship team.

Sullivan's surgery continues a recent bout with adversity as he attempts to regain the form that won him two silver medals in the 2008 Olympics. In a Nov. 3 appearance on The Morning Swim Show, Sullivan talked about recovering from an emergency appendectomy while training in Flagstaff, Ariz., in November. Click here to watch the full interview.

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