- British 1500m champion Sarah Calvert reveals the crippling medical condition that almost stopped her in her tracks
- The 24-year-old underwent surgery for scoliosis nine years ago and had metal rods inserted in her back
- Livingston runner produced the biggest shock of the UK Championships in Birmingham last week
- Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport
New British 1500m champion Sarah Calvert has revealed how she feared her running career was over before it had really begun.
The 24-year-old Scot produced the shock result of the UK Championships in Birmingham last weekend with victory over compatriot and Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir by five hundredths of a second.
But now Calvert has recalled how she didn’t run for a year in her mid-teens following surgery for scoliosis, a condition where the spine curves abnormally.
At one stage in 2015, she didn’t know if she would run again or achieve even moderate age-group success in athletics.
Her recovery was gradual but senior Scottish titles in recent years at 800m and 1500m at Grangemouth hinted at more to come.
Now the past few weeks have seen her on the podium at the World Universities in Germany — the first Scot to do so in individual events since 1997 — and then become British champion.
Calvert poses with the Union Jack after announcing her arrival in stunning fashion
The Scot timed her run to perfection as she made a burst up the outside to claim victory
The Livingston runner had metal rods inserted in her back after having surgery for scoliosis
‘When I was aged 15 I underwent surgery for scoliosis,’ said the Livingston AC athlete and Edinburgh University student. ‘It was a really tough and scary time in my life. I had metal rods inserted in my back and, yes, they are still there.
‘My family and I went through a lot at that time and I couldn’t do any exercise at all for a year.
‘I remember at the time thinking when will I get back to running again, will I even be able to improve my personal bests? I was thinking: “Will I ever run again?”
‘Then, getting back, it took so long to be fit. I never knew if I would win races again and get to the top in my age groups.’
Time proved a healer and, by 2017, she was winning medals at Scottish Schools events and Scottish Age Group championships.
‘My injury history over the past years have probably all been connected to issues with my back,’ added Calvert, who is coached by Luke Gunn and is part of the Edinburgh University endurance project in partnership with Scottish Athletics.
‘I have to work with that and I do try to forget about what happened (in 2015 with the surgery). It does not affect me now.
‘Nevertheless, I would not have expected to reach this level (British champion) in the sport, to be honest.
‘But I suppose the way to look at it is: if I could overcome that, then I can overcome anything else which may come my way.
‘I have had Achilles injuries and so on but it has not been my spine again — so somehow, sometimes, I’ve been able to think positively.’
Her athletic dreams pre-dated the scoliosis diagnosis and, in fact, were nurtured by visits to Hampden for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
‘I’ve always had big dreams of going to major championships but I’m unsure if I ever really believed they were possible,’ Calvert told BBC Scotland.
‘Now I have the belief that, if I do keep training consistently, then this could be possible. I feel like I could write these goals down and try to achieve them next year.
‘The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow would be great because all my family and friends could come and watch me. It seems like something I don’t want to miss out on.
‘I remember going to watch Lynsey Sharp in the 800m when she won her silver medal [at Glasgow 2014] and I was so excited.
‘I was just a young girl at Livingston Athletics Club and this was my first taste of what it could be like and what I could achieve when I was older.’
