I overcame debilitating illness that left me ‘like a skeleton’ to become the last US woman to win Olympic 100m gold
Gaile Devers is one of a kind. The former Olympian is not only one of the most decorated track athletes of all-time, she is also one of the most inspirational figures in sports. Devers won gold in the women’s 100 meters race of the 1996 Summer Olympics That’s because of what she had to overcome and battle against over the course of her career. Known for her long and colorful nails, all Devers ever did was win. She owns three Olympic gold medals, five World Championship gold medals, four World Indoor Championship medals and two Pan American gold medals. She is the last American woman to win Olympic gold in the 100m, doing so back in the summer of 1996 in Atlanta and defending the title she won in Barcelona in 1992. What makes Devers so inspirational is that she was doing all of her winning, while simultaneously battling a crippling disease that no one was able to diagnose at the time. A mysterious disease that she first noticed while in college at UCLA in the 80’s. “My hands were constantly shaking, I had extreme fatigue and my eyes started bothering me,” the Olympic gold medalist told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview years back. “I lost so much weight that I looked emaciated, and I had sores on my face and my skin was peeling off.” She had gone to numerous doctors and specialists, walking away with no answers every time. Devers’ illness got so bad at one point, that she didn’t even want to leave her house. Devers struggled with her confidence when she first got the disease, but has since learned to embrace itGetty There aren’t too many athletes that are more accomplished than DeversGetty Devers’ disease forced her to change how she trained and ran on the track “I went in my house. I looked at myself in the mirror, at the skeleton of the person that was looking back at me,” Devers said. “And I covered my mirrors with black sheets. It took three-plus years, before a specialist was able to finally and correctly diagnose Devers. It was revealed that she had Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the thyroid gland. She was finally diagnosed and was able to begin training again right before the World Championships to qualify for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Not only did Devers qualify, but she won gold in the 100m (which she would once again repeat in 1996), all while battling severe symptoms. “I still had the bulging eyes, the redness, the tearing.” Devers talked about how difficult it was to run the hurdles. “I was running the hurdles, but it was like I was looking through film — it was blurry.” Devers knew something was still wrong but thought that it was just the Graves’ and something she would have to deal with forever. “I just assumed my symptoms were caused by my Graves’, and that there was nothing I could do about it,” Devers said. She was wrong. Devers was also an elite hurdler, as well as a sprinterGetty Unfortunately for Devers it took 30 more years to discover that she also had Thyroid Eye Disease (TED). TED is a rare disorder that few Graves’ patients get, and symptoms that include irritation, pain, tearing, swelling and in extreme cases, loss of vision. “I’m a sprinter,” Devers told PEOPLE. “I’m supposed to get to the finish line first, and now it has taken me 30 years after learning I have Graves’ disease to know I have TED.” Despite all of this, Devers has kept a positive attitude and wants to help those who are in similar situations. “I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I went through,” said Devers. “I’ve got a baton full of knowledge and want to pass it on to help people advocate for their health.” People talk about Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, and Kevin Durant as iconic American Olympians, to which they are, but it’s Devers who also needs to be included on the list of all-time greats. For what she overcame on and off the track.
Gaile Devers is one of a kind.
The former Olympian is not only one of the most decorated track athletes of all-time, she is also one of the most inspirational figures in sports.
That’s because of what she had to overcome and battle against over the course of her career.
Known for her long and colorful nails, all Devers ever did was win.
She owns three Olympic gold medals, five World Championship gold medals, four World Indoor Championship medals and two Pan American gold medals.
She is the last American woman to win Olympic gold in the 100m, doing so back in the summer of 1996 in Atlanta and defending the title she won in Barcelona in 1992.
What makes Devers so inspirational is that she was doing all of her winning, while simultaneously battling a crippling disease that no one was able to diagnose at the time.
A mysterious disease that she first noticed while in college at UCLA in the 80’s.
“My hands were constantly shaking, I had extreme fatigue and my eyes started bothering me,” the Olympic gold medalist told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview years back.
“I lost so much weight that I looked emaciated, and I had sores on my face and my skin was peeling off.”
She had gone to numerous doctors and specialists, walking away with no answers every time.
Devers’ illness got so bad at one point, that she didn’t even want to leave her house.
“I went in my house. I looked at myself in the mirror, at the skeleton of the person that was looking back at me,” Devers said.
“And I covered my mirrors with black sheets.
It took three-plus years, before a specialist was able to finally and correctly diagnose Devers.
It was revealed that she had Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the thyroid gland.
She was finally diagnosed and was able to begin training again right before the World Championships to qualify for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
Not only did Devers qualify, but she won gold in the 100m (which she would once again repeat in 1996), all while battling severe symptoms.
“I still had the bulging eyes, the redness, the tearing.”
Devers talked about how difficult it was to run the hurdles.
“I was running the hurdles, but it was like I was looking through film — it was blurry.”
Devers knew something was still wrong but thought that it was just the Graves’ and something she would have to deal with forever.
“I just assumed my symptoms were caused by my Graves’, and that there was nothing I could do about it,” Devers said.
She was wrong.
Unfortunately for Devers it took 30 more years to discover that she also had Thyroid Eye Disease (TED).
TED is a rare disorder that few Graves’ patients get, and symptoms that include irritation, pain, tearing, swelling and in extreme cases, loss of vision.
“I’m a sprinter,” Devers told PEOPLE.
“I’m supposed to get to the finish line first, and now it has taken me 30 years after learning I have Graves’ disease to know I have TED.”
Despite all of this, Devers has kept a positive attitude and wants to help those who are in similar situations.
“I don’t want anyone to have to go through what I went through,” said Devers.
“I’ve got a baton full of knowledge and want to pass it on to help people advocate for their health.”
People talk about Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, and Kevin Durant as iconic American Olympians, to which they are, but it’s Devers who also needs to be included on the list of all-time greats.
For what she overcame on and off the track.
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