Maria Costello, a motorcycle racer who was seriously injured in a crash at the Isle of Man TT, has been described as a “true trailblazer” in the sport.
Costello and passenger Shaun Parker were injured in a sidecar crash in qualifying on 26 May.
The 52-year-old remains in hospital in Liverpool and is currently paralysed with a long list of serious injuries including a broken back (T5 and T6 vertebrae), broken arm, multiple broken ribs, grade four large liver laceration, broken nose, broken eye socket, lacerations between the eyes and a broken sternum.
Parker was treated in hospital on the Isle of Man after the crash, which happened at the Brandish section of the circuit.
BBC Sport pundit and motorcycle racer Alanna Maher paid tribute to Costello, and said she had “set a path” for women in the sport.
“Maria is a real inspiration to me and so many other female bikers,” Ulster Superbike rider Maher told BBC Sport NI.
“She has helped so many people in the sport and also helped bring dozens of young female riders through.
She showed female riders what was possible and her example set a clear path for many to follow.”
In a difficult event at the Isle of Man TT, Costello and Parker’s crash happened after solo rider Daniel Ingham lost his life in a crash at Doran’s Bend in an earlier qualifying session.
In an untimed session on the opening day of the Isle of Man TT, eight spectators and a rider were injured when a bike went into the crowd at Parliament Square.
On Wednesday, sidecar duo Ryan and Callum Crowe were involved in an accident at Crosby in a qualifying session.
In response to that accident, sidecar racing was suspended for the remainder of the event.
Costello made her debut on the Isle of Man at the Manx Grand Prix in 1996 and made her first TT appearance in 2002.
She held the fastest lap from a female rider at the Isle of Man TT until 2009, and 10 years later she became the first woman to compete in both the sidecar and solo class at the same TT.
Messages of support have poured in from across the world for Costello, reflecting her status as one of the most influential female figures in motorcycle sport.
A fundraising campaign set up by supporters has already raised almost £200,000, with donations continuing to rise as the racing community rallies around her.
Maher, speaking at the Isle of Man TT, said the news about Costello as “really awful to hear”.
“There are so few female racers – when something like this happens to someone who’s led the way for so many of us, it resonates even more.”
“Seeing is believing,” she said. “If a young girl sees another girl on the podium, it gives you that feeling that you can do it too.
“Everyone knows the danger when they go out there, but it’s still horrible when something like that happens.”
You can listen and watch Alanna Maher on the BBC Bikes podcast on BBC Sounds and YouTube
