not VB, but the craziest instance of an injured athlete competing was the japanese gymnast that broke his ankle and still went out to do his routine ending on a hard landing on that broken ankle (and clinching gold medal for JPN in team event)... it happened in the 70's, i think.
Gosh old school Japan was... HORRIBLE, many instances of athletes being used and abused to crazy ends. I think the Japanese women's team in the 60s/70s and the Japanese table tennis (I think?) suffered a lot too.