Rattray soldiers on despite injuries.

Tyla Rattray finished seventh and ninth in his two heats respectively at the GP of Wallonia in Namur Sunday.

Rattray came to Namur intent on doing his utmost to secure another GP victory. Things started off well for the South African with the second fastest time in prequalifying practice. Then, during the qualifying heat, the drama began to unfold.

During the first lap of the qualifying ace, Christian Stevanini lost control over his bike on one of the biggest jumps on the circuit.

The riderless bike homed in on Tyla's KTM like a guided missile, and their was only one possible outcome. The crowd reacted in horror as the South African went down in a heap and a hush fell over the assembly as he was stretchered off the track. After a long time, a wave of relief rippled through the crowd as Tyla got up and trudged back to his pit.

Although Tyla did not break anything, he had come down heavily again on the shoulder that he had dislocated a few weeks before. Although in acute pain, Tyla announced that he was going to try and qualify for the last chance qualifier.

News of the horrific crash had spread through the paddock, and an unusually large crowd went trackside to watch the last chance qualifying session. With head hunched low on his shoulders, Tyla dragged himself onto the bike and set out in quest of one of the six fastest lap times, which would allow him to race on Sunday.

As the precious minutes ticked on, he was clearly struggling, and with a few minutes to go, he came in to check the board. He was still lying ninth, and there would only be time for one more lap. He went out with seconds to go, and halfway through his last lap, official time ran out.

When the number 16 KTM re-entered the stadium section, everyone was watching the timing monitor with bated breath. Then his name flashed up against the fifth time.

Even with pain killing injections on Sunday morning, Tyla was still in acute discomfort as the first race got underway. His problems were compounded by a crash in the second corner, and he got going more or less in last position.

By the end of the first lap, he was already in the points.

By mid race distance, Tyla was in a top 10 position, and when the clock struck zero, a plucky ride was rewarded with a seventh place finish.

Tyla's reserves of endurance were close to drained when he lined up for the second heat. His 29th qualifying position left him with a bad gate at the very outside, and anything more than a mid-pack start was too much to hope for. Again the teenager crept up the ladder. It was a thoroughly tired rider who crossed the line in ninth position.

"I think everyone knew about my injury," he said after the race. "Everywhere on the track people were shouting for me and urging me on, and this really lifted me. I want to thank those fans, the doctor, my trainer Yves DeMeulemeester and my team for helping me through this day."

Even with the odds stacked against him, Tyla managed to hold onto his second position in the world championship standings, actually increasing his lead over third-placed Stephen Sword.