Renowned British athlete Roger Black recently opened up about his recent open heart surgery, which he underwent to address a heart condition he has been living with since he was just 11 years old. The 58-year-old Olympic silver medalist shared on Instagram that he had the surgery to replace his aortic valve and repair his aortic root.
Black revealed that his bicuspid aortic valve issue was discovered when he was a child, and for almost five decades, he has been under the care of the cardiac team at Southampton General Hospital. Despite not showing any obvious symptoms, his annual check-up last summer indicated a deterioration in his condition. He admitted that while it was a shock, he had always known this day would come, although he never let his heart disease define him or hinder his successful athletic career.
Even with his heart condition, Black achieved remarkable success in athletics, including winning a silver medal in the men’s 400m at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and securing gold for Great Britain in the 4x400m relays at the world championships in Tokyo 1991 and Athens 1997.
The athlete expressed gratitude towards the hospital staff who cared for him during his surgery and recovery, and he also gave a special mention to his wife, Jules, for her unwavering support throughout the process. Black shared a touching moment from his recovery journey, highlighting a significant milestone of walking to the top of St Martha’s Hill with his wife, referring to it as their special place.
