During the Beijing Olympics, 41-year-old Dara Torres, a University of Florida alumna, captured three silver medals in swimming, bringing her career total to twelve. While the feat in itself is impressive, the five-time Olympian accomplished this daunting task while enduring severe pain from her right shoulder.

That’s right -- since the beginning of the year, Dara has suffered from arthritis in her right collarbone. If she had gotten surgery sooner, she would have missed the Olympic Games. Instead of letting herself and her country down, she endured the pain through all of her races.

CNN reports:

Torres, the first Olympic swimmer to compete in five games and the first woman swimmer to compete after the age of 40, told CNN that while in Beijing she began having intense shoulder pain, so severe that she thought she might not be able to compete. She called Chalal, who suggested several options. But the anti-inflammatories didn't work. Neither did Torres want to receive a shot of cortisone nor have her shoulder anesthetized.

 

Instead, Torres just swam.

Absolutely astounding. Dara Torres truly is a model American and a testament to the power of the human spirit.

Thankfully, Dara will finally undergo the surgery she needs this Wednesday.

OTR wishes her a speedy, safe recovery.