2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Tyler Clary Will Have Open Heart Surgery to Correct Murmur

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Tyler Clary -- Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien

2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Tyler Clary Will Have Open Heart Surgery to Correct Murmur

Tyler Clary, who captured Olympic gold in the men’s 200 backstroke at the 2012 Olympics in London, announced Thursday that he will undergo open heart surgery to correct a heart murmur, a congenital condition that disrupts proper blood flow. Clary said that he learned about the murmur during a routine physical in October — “my first physical since retiring from what I like to refer to as ‘my first career'” — and he will undergo the surgery Friday.

Clary posted his announcement on his Facebook page. Since his swimming career involved frequent physical examinations, he was surprised that no one had noticed the issue at any point during his swimming career.

“However, the echocardiogram couldn’t be denied. I have a very leaky aortic valve. For every pint of blood my heart tries to pump, ½ pint flows backwards—a congenital issue that had never been caught. My heart is currently only operating at 50% efficiency and, surprisingly, I am asymptomatic other than a significantly enlarged left ventricle.

“According to the doctors, my heart has never operated at greater than 70% efficiency. That still blows my mind! ?”

Check out Clary’s Facebook announcement below.

During his impressive swimming career, Clary won four World Championship medals and several NCAA titles while representing the University of Michigan in addition to his Olympic gold medal. He was third in the 200 back and fourth in the 400 IM at the 2008 Olympic Trials before bursting onto the scene with by setting an American records in the 400-yard IM at the 2009 NCAA championships. Those records, swum with the aid of a now-banned polyurethane suit, would remain atop the board until the likes of Chase Kalisz began his college racing career.

Clary brought home 400 IM medals from his first two World Championships (silver in 2009, bronze in 2011), but he did not qualify for the U.S. Olympic team in that event after Michael Phelps returned to the race after a four-year hiatus and finished second to eventual Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte. Clary finally got onto an Olympic team by placing second to Lochte in the 200 back at those Trials, and then, at the London Olympics, Clary came from behind on the final 50 to overtake Lochte and hold off Ryosuke Irie to win gold. Clary set an Olympic record of 1:53.41 that stood until last week, when Evgeny Rylov broke it on his way to gold.

Clary retired after the 2016 Olympic Trials, when he qualified for the 400 IM final in eighth position but withdrew and then finished third behind Ryan Murphy and Jacob Pebley in the 200 back.

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