My cancer scare op, by athletics champion Lynsey, 29
Commonwealth medalist tells of ordeal after a routine test
SCOTTISH runner Lynsey Sharp has told how a cancer scare has forced her to take a break from athletics.
The former European champion pulled out from the Scottish crosscountry championships in Kirkcaldy last weekend.
In a post on Instagram, Miss Sharp, 29, revealed that she had been forced to withdraw from the event after having an operation to remove what doctors later found to be pre-cancerous cells following a routine smear test.
She wrote: ‘The last few weeks have been a bit rough. Last week, I had surgery to remove cells which came back today as pre-cancerous.
‘A smear test led to a biopsy, which led to surgery. I have to take it easy for a few weeks but I’m getting there and health takes precedence.
‘If I hadn’t gone for a smear test I wouldn’t have been able to catch this before it developed any further.’
Miss Sharp also urged any women reading the post to ‘go and get a smear test,’ adding ‘it takes five minutes’.
She said: ‘If sharing this encourages even one of you ladies to go then it will be worth sharing.’
Last month, Miss Sharp, who is from Dumfries, announced her engagement to fellow runner Andrew Butchart, posting a picture of the couple together online as she proudly showed off her engagement ring.
The Edinburgh University law graduate is an Olympic and World Championship finalist and a European Championship and Commonwealth medallist.
She returned to form in July to win the women’s 800 metres at the Anniversary Games in London.
She said at the time: ‘It’s nice to get a win because I’ve had a lot of losses over the past couple of years.
‘I ran fast in Monaco so it’s nice to back that up. I had to listen to my head, not my heart and make some changes. I did that and I’m seeing the benefit now.’
Her performance is believed to have improved since she and Mr Butchart split from their San Diego-based coach Terrence Mahon this year.
Mr Butchart is the current Scottish record holder in the 3,000 metre and 5,000 metre events.
In 2014 Miss Sharp won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, just hours after being struck down with food poisoning.
Details of her ordeal only emerged minutes after the race before a capacity crowd at Hampden.
The runner later revealed she had been suffering from a bout of food poisoning that ended up with her being placed on a drip for three hours.
After crossing the line, TV cameras picked up the motivational words she had written on her hand that said: ‘Get out strong and commit.’
Her mother Carol, herself a former international athlete who represented Scotland at the 1982 Commonwealth Games, later said she feared for her daughter’s health.
‘We knew she had been taken to the medical centre in the athletes’ village but couldn’t go to her,’ Mrs Sharp had said. ‘I didn’t want her to run but she was determined.’
‘I have to take it easy for a few weeks’