ATHLETICS superstar Michael Johnson says he has overcome the greatest challenge of his life – by learning how to walk again.
Johnson – nicknamed Superman during his career – will spend the next ten days as the expert analyst for the BBC in their coverage of the World Athletics Championships in Doha.
Michael Johnson was superhuman as an athlete but has had to learn to walk again after suffering a strokeCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
But 13 months ago the four-times Olympic champion found himself in a Los Angeles hospital having suffered a stroke which left him unable to move his left leg.
And the 52-year-old admits there were times he struggled to cope with the fact a body which had been indestructible during his stunning career had suddenly let him down.
American Johnson, the star who wore golden spikes as he was crowned 200m and 400m champion, said: “I was shocked I had a stroke. I literally had to learn to walk again.
“This has been hard, really hard. People think that being an athlete means motivation is always easy, but that’s not true. It becomes more difficult.
“With this there were no medals and no people standing there cheering, just my wife and my dog and my son who might text me, ‘Good job’.
“It’s been a major adjustment knowing that for the first time in life I have to really focus on my health.
Johnson will be the expert analyst for the BBC at the World Athletics Championships in DohaCredit: Handout
“The margins of improvement are small when you’re an elite athlete but the margins this time were even smaller. Every tiny gain was really impactful.
“It’s not easy doing your balancing exercises and looking in the mirror and you’re not even a minor shell of what you were two weeks ago.
“I just focused on the improvement, but I can’t say it was all positive.”
Johnson admits having friends visit him in hospital was hard to deal with because he was so used to being in control of his own life and challenges.
He added: “I don’t respond well to sympathy.
“I wasn’t comfortable not being the strong self-sufficient man, the man people could rely on. I think I had perspective before but I have changed in a way.
“It was good to see those friends. The biggest lesson I’ve learnt from this is to depend on other people sometimes.
“A lot of people have a second stroke within the first year but once you get through that the risk decreases.”
Michael Johnson on the way to winning 200m gold at the Atlanta OlympicsCredit: AFP
Source: Athletics - thesun.co.uk
