A 19-year-old college sprinter ran backwards onto a javelin and was sent to hospital with part of it still in his chest

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Elija Godwin, 19.

• Georgia sprinter Elija Godwin was taken to hospital when he accidentally impaled himself on a javelin.
• Godwin sustained the injury on Tuesday at a University of Georgia track session.
• He backed onto a stationary javelin during a backwards sprinting drill, which pierced his body and punctured his lung.
• Rescue workers sawed the javelin off, loaded Godwin into an ambulance, and took him to Athens Regional Medical Center with part of the javelin still in his body.
• He survived, is expected to make a full recovery, and could return to practice for the 2020 season.
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A 19-year-old American sprinter accidentally impaled himself on a javelin and was sent to hospital with it sticking out of his chest.

Georgia athlete Elija Godwin was at the University of Georgia track for a practice session on Tuesday when he accidentally backed into a stationary javelin that was stuck in the ground, a university statement read.

According to Deadspin, Godwin was taking part in a backwards sprinting drill at the time.

The Atlanta news station 11Alive reports that the javelin went through his back, puncturing his lung. His athletics team-mates rushed to help him, 11Alive says, the javelin was sawn off by rescue workers, and he was loaded into an ambulance with part of it still inside his body.

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Godwin was then taken to hospital and underwent surgery at Athens Regional Medical Center, Fox News reported.

By Wednesday, he was in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.

In the university statement, Ron Courson, the director of sports medicine for University of Georgia, said: "We would like to express appreciation for all those who acted so quickly and efficiently in coming to the aid of Elija."

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He added: "Special thanks to our sports medicine staff, police, fire-rescue, and Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center."

Godwin's personal best records in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints are 10.47 seconds and 20.59 seconds, respectively. He will miss the rest of the 2019 season, Fox says, but could return in 2020.