The European championship game with France(6-0) was less than five minutes old when Marijn Veen threw her arms in the air. The Dutch striker had set up her team 1-0. Those who looked good saw something striking: around her left hand was a braces.
Marijn Veen plays the tournament with an injury to her thumb. An injury that she sustained at the end of June, during a training session with the Dutch national team. She wanted to get a ball and sat on the floor with her left hand, but her thumb was in the way. Her finger turned back and the belt of her thumb tore through. An unhappy moment that made her count immediately.
‘In short, after six weeks it is healed and you start building. But we just did it a little faster, says Veen with a big smile. ‘I started doing exercises early and now it just feels good. I just need my brace to ensure that if I fall, my thumb does not stretch. ‘
Marijn Veen’s route
Some players Hobble from tournament to tournament without too many problems. That is not entirely true for Veen. She is definitely a fixed value in the orange, but her route is sometimes different. Injuries are not unknown territory for peat. A man in her foot, knee or a persistent concussion.
‘I am especially happy that I made it back. And exactly on time, “she laughs.” Perhaps the beauty of every now and then is injured that you can also heal well. ‘Of course she can laugh about it now, but that is that one side. They know the striker. I am a kind of expert at Rehab.
Photo: Willem Vernes
She thought the unfortunate moment with Orange training would not be that bad. When she later heard how serious it actually was, she was shocked. It was clearly not just like that. “I was just lucky that my ligament was still right.” For two weeks she walked hurrylessly while everyone was busy training. “That was really terrible, but we made the best of it. If this had happened to my foot, the European championships would have been ready. ‘
Four weeks after all her miles, her brace was finally allowed to come loose. At least, during the day to day. She still has to wear it with sleeping, play hockey and other heavy activities. “When I saw my thumb again for the first time, I really thought, oh my god. It was stiff, I couldn’t move it and it was very thin. My whole tendon was suddenly visible and there was zero strength in my thumb, “she describes the phase, 3.5 weeks before the start of the European championships.
When she could clay again, she knew it would be fine
‘Then I wondered for a while if it would work. I was just practicing at home. Move, finger at finger, squeezing things, pulling rubber tires. When I was allowed to play clay at some point, it felt good. And the brace supported its actions. “That gave me some strength again.”
Photo: Willem Vernes
The first time she held her stick again, was uncomfortable to say the least. “What am I doing, I thought,” she says. “How are I going to take this off again?” But Veen found her way again and her own way. The feeling came back, just like the power. When it worked with Ball and Stick, she knew for sure. This tournament was not in danger. Because after two training sessions and three exhibition games in Mönchengladbach, she was.
And so the arms went in the air on Wednesday at the end of the afternoon. In a kind of shoot-out she worked the 1-0 against the board. As if she never does anything else. Moreover, it was already her second of the tournament. And that is of course very nice for a striker.
The brace can finally come out in September
The smile on her face becomes even bigger when she thinks of the semi -final. She feels as much as a match, about everything or nothing. Spain is technically and agile in the small space, “she describes her opponent on Friday. In fact, exactly the qualities she also has. ” That will be a nice challenge, “she grins.
‘After the EC my brace can come loose again. Then it’s all ready, “she is relieved. No more brace, but still a gold medal? She laughs. “That’s what we go for. With such a beautiful white hand, because it has not seen the sun for a while. ‘
Photo: Willem Vernes
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