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In Pictures: Unearthed Image of U.S. Olympic Legend Breaking All Barriers at 40 Will Make Your Day

Published 11/22/2023, 5:50 AM EST

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One of the most decorated US female sprinters of all time, Gail Devers has astonished her fans with her extraordinary sprinting and hurdling skills. American retired track and field athlete Sprinter holds a special place in a million hearts. In 2007, Gail embarrassed 2004 Olympic champion Joanna Hayes in the stellar field in New York to win the 60-meter hurdles in just 7.86 seconds.

Devers became the three-time world champion, with three Millrose hurdles titles in her kitty. Her recent throwback post from the 2007 Milrose Games has resurfaced on social media. The striking fact about her achievement is the age at which she made it.

Age is just a number for Gail Devers

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At the age of 40, Dever delivered an incredible performance, nineteen months after embracing motherhood. To make the moment event more memorable, it happened to be the 100th edition of the Millrose Games. It was considered the best time at the 2007 Milrose Games season and just 0.12 off the U.S. record, which she achieved in 2003. Recalling the feat, the recent X post reads, “#Throwback to Gail Devers on her way to victory in the 60m hurdles at the 2007 Milrose Games, clocking a time of 7.86 seconds. She was 40 years old.”

With all her dedication and great efforts, Gail Devers has achieved a lot in both sprinting and hurdling. After winning the 100 m at the 1987 Pan American Games, she competed in the 1988 Olympics in South Korea. But, due to some serious health issues, the U.S. sprinter failed to give her best in Seoul in 1988. After that, the world-renowned track star was diagnosed with Graves’s disease and thyroid Eye Disease. This is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system of one’s body attacks itself.

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An undying will to return to track despite serious illness

Olympic Track Star Gail Devers was at the highest level of her collegiate running career at UCLA when she had to fight with her health problems. Previously in an interview, the Olympic gold medalist opened up about her struggle with Graves, and claimed “My hands were constantly shaking, I had extreme fatigue and my eyes started bothering me,”.

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Moreover, she elaborated on her health problems faced with the disease, “I lost so much weight that I looked emaciated, and I had sores on my face and my skin was peeling off.”, she added. US Track and Field Sprinter’s struggle and three-time Olympic gold medalist Gail Devers’s disease came into consideration when her struggle with this autoimmune disease was featured in the 1996 television movie, “Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story”. Gail’s undying will is an exemplary instance of dedication and resilience, to battle all hurdles that come your way on the field as well as in real life.

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Written by:

Shivangi Agrawal

515Articles

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Edited by:

BHUJAYA RAY CHOWDHURY