I did not want to be defined by heart issue - Black

Roger Black represented Great Britain at two Olympic Games, in 1992 and 1996

Three-time Olympic medallist Roger Black says he did not want his athletics career to be defined by health problems, as he recovers from surgery to fix a heart issue he has had since birth.

Black won bronze in the 4x400m relay at Barcelona 1992, before going on to win silver in the 400m and 4x400 m 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.

Now 58, Black needed open heart surgery earlier this year as the issue became worse and is now recovering at home.

He told BBC Breakfast that he had not widely disclosed the issue as he had not wanted it to be an excuse for failure during his stellar career.

"It wasn't something I kept secret but it certainly wasn't something I ever talked about," he said. "I didn't want it to define me or be an excuse.

"In the Olympics you don't want any excuses. I remember telling my inner circle of friends, [fellow 4x400m relay team member] Kriss Akabusi and [Olympic decathlon champion] Daley Thompson, and they were shocked."

Black said he had been inundated with messages and well-wishes since surgery - including from Michael Johnson, who beat him in the 1996 Olympic final, with Black saying the American was among the first to contact him.

After being diagnosed aged 11, Black had to get checked up every year at Southampton General Hospital. He said the only year he had not gone was in 1996, as he was worried he would be told not to compete at the Olympics.

Black admitted it was a shock to be told earlier this year that he needed surgery imminently.

"It's a weird one. I didn't have symptoms or feel ill, but I knew I had a problem," he said. "I knew I would need a new valve, but I didn't think it would be at 58 – I thought I would be a bit older.

"But I went down feeling fine and was told things had changed dramatically and I needed surgery. It was a real shock. I was really scared, but you have to hand over to the surgeons.

"As an athlete, you control what you can, so I could control how I felt going into it, also I could be as fit as possible. I knew about the recovery, so I was prepared.

"I woke up with so many tubes in me, I couldn't move. But my biggest fear was not waking up, so just doing that was fantastic."

Now Black is focused on recovery and "taking it easy for the next year or two" - and also wants to raise awareness for people, particularly of his age, to get checked for heart issues.

"I'm fortunate and very grateful, so I would encourage anyone, if they are out of breath or not sure, to just get checked out," he said.

"The symptoms are really subtle - shortness of breath and fatigue. I had fatigue, but I didn't compute that would be part of it. I was just tired - kids, life, not sleeping well. But that awareness is important. My nurse told me so many people who have my surgery go to their GP thinking they had asthma.

"I have had so many lovely messages from people who have had the surgery or are preparing for it, so being able to chat to people nervous about it has been great. If I can help raise awareness, then it's a pleasure."

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