Danish Olympic Champion Pernille Blume Undergoes Successful Heart Surgery

Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

According to the Danish Swimming Federation, Olympic Champion Pernille Blume underwent a successful heart surgery to close a small hole in her heart.

Blume went through surgery at the end of January. The procedure was necessary prevention to reduce the risk of blood clots and cardiac arrest for Blume, who has not experienced any complications in connection with the surgery according to the federation.

“The operation has gone well, and I am very happy that I had the surgery done. After finding out in the hospital I found out that I had a small blood clot, and therefore I also checked my heart. Here, the doctors found out that I had a smaller hole that had to be closed via an operation,” Blume told the federation.

Blume took notice about 18 months ago when she was experiencing a number of nerve disorders in her left arm. She tried a number of different treatments for nerve disorders, but it was then that the experts found the smaller hole in the heart.

“I knew that in the end it was a necessity with an intervention if I wanted to reach my ambitions and goals. I have had several meetings and conversations with skilled doctors, including Team Denmark’s doctor, and in consultation with them, my trainer and chief physician Michael Rahbek Schmidt decided that I should have closed the hole in the heart, to reduce the risk of blood clots and cardiac arrest . Throughout the process, I felt like I was in really knowledgeable and skilled hands with chief physician Michael Rahbek Schmidt,” she said.

Blume is set to join the rest of the swimmers at the National Training Center at a training camp in South Africa. She has not made public when she will swim in her first competition in 2019.

Pernille Blume is the reigning Olympic Champion in the 50 free and won the bronze medal in the 100 free at the 2017 World Championships. This past summer, she won three medals at the European Championships. She won the silver in the 50 free behind Sarah Sjostrom and anchored Denmark’s 4×100 medley relay team to a silver medal. She also led off Denmark’s 4×100 free relay team that won the bronze medal.

Blume was ranked second in the world rankings for 2018 in the 50 free (23.75) and tied for fifth in the 100 free (52.72) in a tie with Taylor Ruck.

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