SCMP Sport22.04.2026Spor1 dk okumaChina

Three-time Olympian Camille Cheng makes comeback after knee surgery

The swimmer returned to competition at a Hong Kong Sports Institute meeting following a year-long recovery from ACL surgery

camille cheng swimming olympian

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Three-time Olympian Camille Cheng has returned to competitive swimming after a year-long recovery from ACL surgery.
The athlete, who co-founded a mental health charity, highlighted the significant mental challenges she faced during her rehabilitation process.

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Camille Cheng is a three-time Olympian who recently underwent surgery to repair her right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). She documented her recovery journey on social media while managing the mental health challenges associated with long-term injury.

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After the loneliness and long hours of rehabilitation following knee surgery, three-time Olympian Camille Cheng Lily-mei savoured the “humbling” experience of returning to competition alongside a pair of 13-year-olds.

Out of the pool since she competed in the 2024 Paris Games, Cheng endured a mentally challenging past 12 months as she recovered from the procedure to repair her right anterior cruciate ligament.

“I’ve never had such a big injury and so much time out,” said Cheng, who made a low-key comeback at a Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) meeting this month.

“There’s a physical protocol for recovery, you have timelines, and work with physios and doctors, but there’s no mental support and I really struggled with that.”

A co-founder of mental health charity Mind the Waves, Cheng documented her progress on social media.

“It was partly an accountability thing, but a lot of other people understand the struggle of being injured and there was comfort in sharing, and maybe grabbing a coffee with someone to talk,” she said.