Devers Comeback Bid a Success

Triple Olympic champion Gail Devers is back on the comeback trail once again. Devers posted the year's fastest time in the women's 60 meters, by clocking 7.04 at the BUPA Grand Prix meet in Birmingham, England. Devers missed almost all of last season with an Achilles tendon injury, and she was returning to action after nine months on the sideline. Devers finished a half-meter ahead of Sevatheda Fynes of the Bahamas, who finished in 7.12.

"It's great to see Gail Devers taking careful steps toward a comeback," USA Track and Field CEO Craig Masback said. "My understanding is that she plans to compete very sparingly this season in an attempt to stay healthy and get ready to defend her two Olympic 100 meter titles."

With illness and injuries throwing serious roadblocks in her way during various points in her career, Devers is well known for clearing the obstacles in front of her and coming out on top. In the 1992 Olympic Games, she won the 100 in the closest mass finish in history as four runners crossed the finish line within four-hundredths of a second.

Five days later, Devers competed in the final of the 100 hurdles. She took the lead by the fourth hurdle and led until the approach to the final barrier. At that hurdle she glanced quickly to her left, then slammed into the hurdle with her lead foot and fell to the ground. As the other runners went by, she crawled across the line, clocking 12.75 in fifth place. Although this was one case where victory was not hers, Devers was gracious in defeat, capturing the hearts of fans around the world.

During those Olympics, Devers' battle with Graves' disease was headline news. The disease had kept Devers from competing in 1989 and '90. She had almost quit the sport as her weight ballooned. At one point she had been days away from having her feet amputated.

In 1994, hamstring troubles kept Devers from doing any hurdling at all. In 1995 Devers only hurdled, saying her injured hamstring could handle the controlled velocity of hurdling, but not all-out sprinting. She managed to get by this hurdle without surgery and in 1996 prepared to attempt a dash/hurdles double at the 1996 Olympic Games.

In Atlanta at those Olympics, Devers led the pack to the finish in the 100 final, though Merlene Ottey nearly caught her as they both recorded 10.94s. Devers earned the photo-finish win with her leaning torso beating the upright Ottey to the line. Devers also won a gold medal in the 4 by 100 relay, running the second leg. She missed a medal in the hurdles by 0.01, finishing fourth in 12.66.

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