Top South African swimmer faces heart op

Olympic swimmer Brett Petersen has a tough few weeks ahead.

Not only does he have the Commonwealth Games trials within the next month, but on Saturday he will be told whether needs to undergo minor heart surgery.

Petersen's heart trouble started last month. Training under coach Graham Hill in Durban, Petersen was pushing hard to get his times up.

"My heart started beating really rapidly and it got to a stage where I was battling to breath," he said.

He went to his doctor, who referred him to a heart specialist. "I was told that I had this defect from birth and at any time it could have been triggered off. I think it was the training because I had been pushing really hard."

He was shocked when the specialist, Dr Kevin O'Connell, told him he may have to undergo a heart procedure.

The doctor put him on beta-blockers to slow his heart beat. This worked.

"I was on them for two weeks and they seemed to do the trick," he said.

"Although they do nothing for swimmers, they are on the banned substance list and I cannot be on this medication when I do the trials."

He also found the medication slowed down his training time.

"I have felt really good for a week and am hoping the doctors will decide against the surgery," he added.

If it is decided he is to undergo the operation, Petersen will leave on Sunday for Cape Town where he will undergo tests for four days. On Thursday the doctors will make a small incision in his side and insert tubes to examine his heart and find the "faulty nerves" which will then be cauterised.

"It really is minor surgery, even if it is a major catastrophe in my life. I have been told that if there are complications during the procedure I will have to get a pacemaker - imagine being 25 and on a pacemaker."