Three matadors gored in abandoned Madrid bullfight recovering well

The three matadors who were gored by bulls during a dramatic afternoon in Plaza de las Ventas on Tuesday are recovering well from their injuries, according to Máximo García Padrós, the chief surgeon at the Madrid bullring. The unusual turn of events, which saw all three of the bullfighters on the day’s bill left unable to continue, resulted in the abandonment of the day’s event after the death of the second bull. It was the first time that had happened at Plaza de las Ventas in 35 years.

David Mora, who was the most seriously injured of the three, was said to be in a stable condition on Wednesday afternoon, after suffering from severe pain during his first night in the intensive care unit at the Virgen del Mar hospital. “The injury put his life in danger,” the surgeon told the website Mundotoro, confirming that the wound was healing well and that the surgical drains doctors had put in were working well. Barring further complications, Mora was expected to be moved to a ward on Thursday.

The torero was the star attraction on Tuesday’s bill, but was gored by the first bull of the evening as it left its pen. Mora was awaiting the animal on his knees in the middle of the ring, but was first violently trampled on by the bull, and then tossed around in the air on its horns. He was left with two serious injuries: a 30-centimeter gash in his left leg, where he suffered a tear to his femoral artery, and a 10-centimeter laceration to his armpit. The original prognosis of the doctors was very serious.

The bullfighter was the star attraction on Tuesday’s bill, but was gored by the first bull as it left its pen

The third injured bullfighter, Antonio Nazaré, saw his worst fears confirmed: doctors have found that he has torn an internal ligament in his right knee, although for now he will not have to undergo surgery. He will, however, have to spend six weeks recovering, during which time he will be subject to intense physiotherapy.

Nazaré was caught on his left leg by one of the animals during Tuesday’s ill-fated evening of bullfights. The medical report later stated that he had suffered “trauma to his right knee, with likely damage to his ligaments.” He was taken to the infirmary and not seen again.

Nazaré is, however, hoping to be ready to get back in the ring by June 19, for the Corpus bullfights in Seville.

Meanwhile, Saúl Jiménez Fortes was reported to be recovering well, with no signs of fever. He was caught by the bull at least three times on Tuesday, leaving him with two injuries to his leg.

The Málaga-born bullfighter had returned to the ring this week after recovering from another serious goring at the Madrid bullring earlier this year. He told the Efe news agency on Wednesday that his latest injuries were “the price that one has to pay to achieve the aim of being a torero.”

Jiménez Fortes said he was hoping to return to the ring in Córdoba in nine days’ time.

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