Elite distance runner Ryan Shay, 28, died during the U.S. Olympic marathon trials after collapsing 5½ miles into the race. Shay had been diagnosed with an enlarged heart but cleared by doctors, his father said."The thing that made him such a great runner may have killed him," Joe Shay told The Associated Press.
An enlarged heart like Ryan's translated into extra endurance -- crucial for a distance runner. Scientists long have noticed the phenomenon of the "athlete's heart." Athletes who train hard in aerobic sports, such as cycling, running or swimming, tend to have a bigger heart that pumps more blood throughout the body.
Ryan and other top athletes underwent medical testing in Flagstaff, Ariz., where he trained, last spring, Joe Shay said, and he was cleared for running.
"He said the doctors told him that because your heart rate is so low, when you're older you may need a pacemaker to make adjustments on that," said Joe Shay, adding his son first was diagnosed with a larger than normal heart at age 14.
No comments:
Post a Comment