Olympian Vicki Roycroft home after suffering burst aorta at Sydney Royal Easter Show

Olympic equestrian Vicki Roycroft has made it back home after suffering a burst aorta at the Sydney Royal Easter Show which left her on the brink of death and hospitalised for three weeks.

Key points:

• Three-time Olympian Vicki Roycroft had gone into cardiac arrest and needed CPR
• Doctor and vet Mark Schembri was at the show and got a call during his lunch to attend to Roycroft
• She is not allowed to ride a horse for three months

The three-time Olympian, who lives in Mount White on the New South Wales Central Coast, was preparing to take part in a show jumping competition when she collapsed from a ruptured aorta.

Mark Schembri, who is a doctor and vet, was at the show when the incident happened and helped save her life.

"He did the cardio stuff and kept enough of the blood circulating in my brain that I didn't become a vegetable," Roycroft told ABC Central Coast's Scott Levi.

"Because I was a bit dead there for a while."

She had gone into cardiac arrest and needed CPR.

Roycroft said she understands she was dead for more than 10 minutes.

Dr Schembri was having lunch at the show when he got a phone call asking him to come down to the arena to help.

"Vicki looked dead. It was that shocking moment when you realise this patient needs CPR now, so we got to work straight away," he said.

Dr Schembri first met Roycroft as a veterinary student in his 20s.

He said it was surreal to be able to help save her life all these years later.

"She's a wonderful competitor at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, a renowned Olympian, and just a wonderful person," he said.

"So, to be part of that story is very special to me."

Horse stopped before collapse

Roycroft was riding a horse at the time of the incident, gearing up to compete in a showjumping event.

Back home with the fam… ❤️

Posted by Vicki Roycroft on Thursday, May 4, 2023