When I was 12 Jeff Farrell swam the 100 Free in the US Olympic trials 6 days after having an emergency appendectomy. He qualified for the team and swam on two relays at the Olympics, but was not able to qualify for his individual events. He was the fastest freestyle sprinter in the world before the appendix incident and at the that Olympics. .
I had started AG swimming 3 or 4 years before and his trials race and Olympics was an inspiration. Probably only saw it months later on Wide World of Sports, since live swimming coverage was almost non-existent. Seven years later in 1967, during my freshman swim season in college, my appendix ruptured and I had emergency appendectomy. It was about 2 months months before I could stand up straight or get back in the pool. I have no idea how Jeff Farrell was able to qualify for the Olympics 6 days after an appendectomy - talk about a race hurting!
When I was 12 Jeff Farrell swam the 100 Free in the US Olympic trials 6 days after having an emergency appendectomy. He qualified for the team and swam on two relays at the Olympics, but was not able to qualify for his individual events. He was the fastest freestyle sprinter in the world before the appendix incident and at the that Olympics. .
I had started AG swimming 3 or 4 years before and his trials race and Olympics was an inspiration. Probably only saw it months later on Wide World of Sports, since live swimming coverage was almost non-existent. Seven years later in 1967, during my freshman swim season in college, my appendix ruptured and I had emergency appendectomy. It was about 2 months months before I could stand up straight or get back in the pool. I have no idea how Jeff Farrell was able to qualify for the Olympics 6 days after an appendectomy - talk about a race hurting!
