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Ex-Olympic champ Fosbury's cancer tumor gone

Former Olympic high jump champion Dick Fosbury who was diagnosed with lymphoma last April, finally recieved a clean bill of health from the doctors after successful radiation and chemotherapy.

Updated on: Mar 26, 2009, 10:50:38 IST
AP | By , DENVER
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Former Olympic high jump champion Dick Fosbury finally recieved a clean bill of health from the doctors. The 1968 Olympic gold medalist known for revolutionizing the high jump with his famous "flop" was diagnosed with lymphoma last April. But after successful radiation and chemotherapy, the cancer is gone.

HT Image
HT Image

"I'm doing good," he said at the SportAccord convention of global sports leaders on Wednesday. "I'm very pleased." Fosbury woke up one April morning hobbled by shooting pains traveling down both legs. A tumor, he soon learned, was engulfing a vertebra in his lower back. Paralysis was a big concern. Doctors operated almost immediately, removing the 4-centimeter growth and fusing two vertebrae.

Fosbury did not give up his hopes even before the doctors gave him the positive report in January that he'd be fine."It was intuitive," Fosbury said. "That is probably very naive on my part, because I didn't know I had the tumor when it was growing. But I just felt very good."

Fosbury was at the convention as president of the World Olympians Association, the group for former athletes.

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