Rhiannon Lawrence

Fencer (epee) was in GBR junior squad - had horrific car accident in 2010. Rhiannon Lawrence's loved ones were told to say their goodbyes to the international fencer after her body took the full force of an articulated lorry that ploughed into her car. The 22-year-old, lost her gall bladder, her spleen and half her liver in the horror smash. She also broke two vertebrae, nine ribs and a leg, fractured her skull and pelvis and suffered collapsed lungs and a collapsed diaphragm. When Rhiannon was flown to hospital, doctors - stunned that she was still alive - gave her just hours to live.

But against all the odds she regained consciousness 17 days later, and is now celebrating the success of her ever-expanding fencing club and is hoping to represent her country again. Her courageous recovery has already seen her coach teenage students to the World Championships, and she is determined to return to the international arena herself.

Rhiannon, then 21, was airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro after the crash in April last year. Travelling back from coaching youngsters in the city, her sat-nav took her off at the wrong junction of the A30 at Journeys End, near Truro. She pulled her red Rover 200 into a lay-by to turn around, but was struck by the lorry while doing a U-turn. Three fire crews battled to free her and the Cornwall Air Ambulance and the Royal Navy Search and Rescue Sea King helicopter were sent to the scene.

After surviving the first night in intensive care, Rhiannon was airlifted to London's Kings College Hospital for a liver transplant. But still in an induced coma, her body fought back - and 17 days later she regained consciousness without needing the new organ.

Brave Rhiannon left hospital on crutches and just seven weeks after the smash she was barking out instructions - albeit from a chair - to students at her Salle Lawrence club, launched just before the accident.Her recovery has been a long one and as recently as December surgeo