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The Fashion Central

Michael Gibson

British Olympian Dismissed Fatigue as Aging – Then Discovered a Deadly Disease

Disease Surgery Heart Surgery Olympics (Event)

Olympic medallist Roger Black, famed for his sprinting prowess in the 1996 Atlanta Games, has undergone open heart surgery to address a problem first identified when he was just 11 years old. The Gosport-born former 400m runner, now 58, had long joked about his aging body, attributing his habit of dozing in front of the TV and frequent coffee breaks on long drives to “becoming an old git.”

The issue resurfaced during an annual echocardiogram last August, revealing the need for major surgery despite Black’s active lifestyle. Although he maintained daily 30-minute jogs, the diagnosis of severe heart valve disease and damage to the main blood vessel carrying blood from the heart necessitated prompt action, reported the Express.

Black’s condition stemmed from a faulty heart valve—detected nearly 50 years ago by a school nurse—which had not hindered the illustrious athletic career that brought him relay gold medals at World Championships in Tokyo and Athens, along with Olympic silver medals.

Reflecting on the gravity of his situation, Black recounted his doctors’ warning: “The doctors said I could be out on a jog one day and my aorta could burst and I would die – they didn’t quite put it like that, but that’s what they were saying,” he shared with the Mail Online. He continued, “The thing is, I had felt fine – I didn’t have any symptoms apart from the tiredness.”

Despite feeling well overall, the prospect of major surgery filled him with understandable fear. Black admitted,
“My consultant called me and said: ‘The time has come’. But it didn’t really sink in until I got the hospital letter. I knew this needed to happen, but was I scared? Absolutely. I felt very vulnerable. The chance of me not waking up afterward was less than two percent – but that’s the bit I was scared of.”

After the operation, Black is slowly but surely on the path to recovery. Initially, even a 20-metre walk left him utterly drained. His rehabilitation regimen now includes medications such as paracetamol for pain, aspirin to prevent blood clotting, statins for cholesterol, and treatment for a temporary heart rhythm disturbance—a common post-surgical challenge.

Recently, Black celebrated a significant milestone by reaching the summit of St Martha’s Hill near Guildford, a symbolic step in his recovery journey. The former sprinter is now a champion for Heart Valve Voice, an initiative aimed at raising awareness about heart valve disease symptoms like breathlessness and dizziness after exertion. He also emphasizes the importance of regular check-ups, noting that many individuals may dismiss symptoms as mere signs of aging.

Earlier this month, Black shared on social media, “Three weeks ago I had open heart surgery to replace my aortic valve and repair my aortic root,” he revealed. “My ‘incompetent’ bicuspid aortic valve was discovered when I was 11 years old and for the last 47 years, I have been looked after by the cardiac team at Southampton General Hospital.

At my annual check-up last Summer it was clear that things had deteriorated despite me having no obvious symptoms – It was a shock but deep down I knew this day would come even though I never allowed my heart disease to define me and prevent me from pursuing my athletic career. Thank you to Mr Tsang and all the medical team in Southampton who cared for me during what was a tough time in hospital -I am forever grateful.

Most of all thank you to my wife Jules who was there when I woke up in Intensive care 11 hours after surgery and has cared for me every day in recovery. Each day has been about small steps – yesterday was a big milestone as we walked to the top of St Martha’s Hill..our special place.”