Olympian surprises heart patient before race

A personal trainer who had heart surgery in January and is running the Great South run on Sunday, has been talking about his experiences with the three-time Olympic medallist who inspired him to take up running.

Sagar Desai from Emsworth, in Hampshire, was introduced to 400m runner Roger Black, as a surprise during an interview on BBC Radio Solent.

Sagar who is raising money for The British Heart Foundation said he was looking forward to the run which takes place in Southsea in Portsmouth.

Black, who himself needed open heart surgery earlier this year, said he "can't imagine" running the race only 10 months after surgery.

The 10-mile event starts at Southsea Seafront, taking runners past some of Portsmouth's best scenery, including the Spinnaker Tower and through the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Sagar said he had "trained really hard to get here".

"Last year, I was diagnosed with a missing valve in my heart, the aortic valve, you should have two," he said.

"I was told that I needed an operation and this was from childbirth".

He said he had spent 38 years of his life without knowing but the surgeon had said he had been "quite lucky" as he was "a very fit person".

Along with experiencing chest pains, he also went through the psychological frustration to of "not being able to do anything".

"I like running, just play all sports and I like going to the gym," he said.

"Roger Black was the one that inspired me to share my story.

"As an Olympic athlete to go through that as well - he didn't want to have the operation until he would finish competing."

The 10-mile race takes runners past some of Portsmouth's best scenery

Black won bronze in the 4x400m relay at Barcelona 1992, before going on to win silver in the 400m and 4x400m relay at Atlanta four years later.

He did so while largely keeping secret the fact he was diagnosed with an incompetent aortic valve aged 11, and needed annual hospital check-ups throughout his life.

"You've certainly done more exercise after the operation than I have," he told Mr Desai while chatting ahead of the race.

Another runner, Dave Olsen, who has taken part in every Great South since it started in 1990 said participants should be "prepared for anything".

"We've had years when it's been really wet, we've had years when it's been really hot," he said.

"On the day, just really enjoy it and embrace it because it's such a wonderful course."

When asked what he would be having for breakfast on Sunday he admitted if he had enough time, he "might be tempted" to have a bacon buttie from one of the nearby cafes.