(ATR) Newly elected IOC member Kikkan Randall will miss her first full session at Buenos Aires in October as she undergoes treatment for breast cancer.
Randall, 35, won a gold medal in the team sprint cross-country event at the 2018 Winter Olympics. PyeongChang was her fifth and final Games as an active athlete.
The top vote getter in the election held in PyeongChang for a seat on the IOC Athletes Commission, she also gets a seat on the IOC for the next eight years.
Randall, known for the pink streaks in her hair, announced her illness via social media sites today.
"The color pink has taken on a new chapter in my life as I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Although we caught it early and the prognosis is good, my life will change quite a bit in the coming months," Randall said.
On July 5, Randall appeared on an ATRadio podcast to talk about her career as an athlete and her expectations as an IOC member. She spoke about the fight against doping and the drive for gender equality in sports as issues she wanted to address as an IOC member representing athletes.
She did not reveal her illness during the podcast but indicated as we were saying goodbye that "health issues" would keep her from attending the IOC activities in Buenos Aires in October. Along with an IOC session, the Olympics in in Action forum is scheduled followed by the Youth Olympic Games.
Randall was born in Salt Lake City and grew up in Alaska. Prior to returning to Alaska for her medical treatment she and her husband, who is a technical advisor to the International Ski Federation, resided in British Columbia. They have a son who turned two years old earlier this year.
"It’s a scary thing to learn you have cancer and I have wondered every day since how this could have possibly happened to me. But I have promised myself that I will remain positive and active and determined throughout my treatment. I am going to bring as much tenacity, strength, and energy toward this challenge as I have throughout my entire career," Randall writes.
She said she began her first round of chemo therapy this week. Randall says she rode her bike to and from the hospital, wearing "my happy shoes".
Reported by Ed Hula.
Últimas Noticias
Utah’s Olympic venues an integral part of the equation as Salt Lake City seeks a Winter Games encore
IOC president tells Olympic Movement “we will again have safe and secure Olympic Games” in Beijing
Boxing’s place in the Olympics remains in peril as IOC still unhappy with the state of AIBA’s reform efforts
IOC president details Olympic community efforts to get Afghans out of danger after Taliban return to power
North Korea suspended by IOC for failing to participate in Tokyo though its athletes could still take part in Beijing 2022
