Altlanta Swimmer with cancer cleared for Beijing Olympics
Eric Shanteau, the swimmer who learned last month that he has testicular cancer, has been cleared to travel to Beijing for the Summer Olympics.
Shanteau received the news after his latest blood test results showed no signs of problems, Olympic men’s coach Eddie Reese said Wednesday.
“He’s in great shape,” the coach said. “They’ve given him the go-ahead to go on to Singapore and Beijing with no worries.”
After training three weeks at Stanford, the American team leaves Friday for Singapore, where it will train until just before the Beijing Games open Aug. 8.
Shanteau, 24, is scheduled to swim his first race in the 200-meter breaststroke Aug. 12.
“It’s just a big weight off my shoulders, more than anything else,” Shanteau told the Associated Press. “I’m walking a little lighter right now, which is great.”
Shanteau decided to delay surgery until he returns from China because his doctors told him he wasn’t at risk by competing in his first Olympics. Shanteau expects to undergo surgery in Atlanta shortly after he returns.
Reese said Lance Armstrong’s physician in Indiana evaluated the results of Shanteau’s last blood tests. The swimmer, Reese added, “has handled this situation better than our whole coaching staff has.”
Shanteau told the U.S. team four days after the trials ended July 6 that he had cancer. The swimmer also did a weekend of interviews, staying as long as reporters had questions.
“He’s further away from the
Source: mercurynews.com via politisite
Media Credit : (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images) Eric Shanteau
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