I realise now how serious my heart condition was

Former Olympic runner Roger Black tells LISA SALMON he had a heart problem throughout his career and how walking has helped him recover from surgery

- LISA SALMON

AS one of Britain’s best 400m runners, Roger Black didn’t exactly shout it from the rooftops that he was running with a heart condition.

While he says he didn’t keep the congenital aortic valve condition that he was diagnosed with at the age of 11 a secret, the former athlete admits: “I never wanted it to be an excuse.

“I didn’t make it a big deal. All I saw was that I was a very fast runner and I wasn’t as out of breath as everyone else. I could only go on what I felt and what I saw, and I felt fine throughout my career.”

And as a result of not dwelling on his symptomless heart problem and just concentrating on his impressive running ability, Roger, now 59, represented Great Britain at athletics’ highest level for 14 successful years, winning silver in the men’s 400m at the 1996 Olympic Games, and picking up a total of 15 major Championship medals including European, Commonwealth, and World Championship Gold medals.

He retired from competitive sport at the age of 32 in 1998, and has since worked as a television presenter and motivational speaker. But he knew his heart condition could deteriorate, and annual heart tests in late 2024 revealed his aorta had swelled and he needed open heart surgery to replace a valve and reconstruct the aorta.

“I always knew the day might come where they said unfortunately, things have changed and you can’t carry on,” he reveals.

“But I never got any obvious symptoms. There are two symptoms of valve disease - breathlessness and fatigue, but I felt fine. I was a bit tired, but I thought I was just stressed out and tired with work and life and kids, although in hindsight, I was actually particularly tired.