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'Destroying me': Casey Stoner opens up on devastating diagnosis

Casey Stoner, pictured here with his wife and daughter in 2012.
Casey Stoner with his wife Adriana and daughter Alessandra Maria at Phillip Island in 2012. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Casey Stoner has opened up on his debilitating struggle with chronic fatigue syndrome, saying the disease is “destroying him”.

The Aussie MotoGP legend revealed the diagnosis last year and has now detailed more about his health battle.

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Sadly, Stoner told Spanish newspaper El Mundo things have only gotten worse, saying he starts each day with about 50 per cent energy.

“It’s been months in which I felt that my body was deteriorating for no apparent reason: I went to train and came back burst,” the two-time MotoGP world champion said.

“I thought that I would find a way to cure it, that I would train more than anyone else and I would have moved on, but I was wrong.

“The truth is that this disease is destroying me and I cannot manage it.

“Now I am a little better, I have learned to manage my energies. I start the day at 50 per cent and the energy goes down until I feel empty.”

Casey Stoner, pictured here in action at the Australian MotoGP in 2012.
Casey Stoner in action at the Australian MotoGP in 2012. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

In October, Stoner said he first start experiencing symptoms in 2018.

“I very quickly went downhill and started to get some extreme symptoms and struggled to get out of bed and get to the couch,” the 35-year-old told Channel Nine.

“Because people can't see it, it's not a physical element that people can see, so people aren't taking it as serious.

“They all just go, 'you're a bit tired, get up'. Currently we have no cure. We don't have enough information on things that can help.

“The amount of positive feedback I've had since coming out and telling the public that I have ME/CFS - it's nice to know people are out there willing to help recognise and understand the situation isn't good for people.

“I hope other people out in the world can get support and this is what we're doing.”

Stoner won world titles in 2007 and 2011 before retiring from MotoGP in 2012.

He has since bounced around in a number of other racing commitments, including a stint in Supercars sub-category the Dunlop Super 2 series.

Aussie ends MotoGP season with second

Earlier this week Australia’s Jack Miller produced an excellent final flourish to his MotoGP season, winning a last-lap battle to snatch runner’s up spot in the Portuguese Grand Prix behind home winner Miguel Oliveira.

KTM Tech 3 rider Oliveira dominated from start to finish to win Sunday’s season-ending Grand Prix at the Algarve International Circuit.

Yet Miller was in the thick of the action again as he came runner-up for the third time this season and for the second race in succession following his excellent recent run in Valencia.

The podium finish for Pramac’s Miller also helped Ducati secure their first constructors’ championship since 2007.

Miller looked for all the world as if he would never get past Franco Morbidelli, who had held him at bay throughout the race but the Queenslander forced his way past on the final lap to grab second.

The Australian ended his season in seventh place overall but he was a mere eight points away from finishing third overall.

with AAP

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