News 8 AustinYour News NowYour News NowAn Exclusive Service of Time Warner Cable
News 8 Austin


TOP STORIES


HEADLINES


FORT HOOD SHOOTING


LOCAL NEWS


YOUR NEWS


WEATHER


SPORTS


Active 8


Athlete of the Week


Carrozza's Corner


'Horns Sports Center


Bobcat Football Show


Aggies/Bears Shows


Sports Headlines


Your Champions


HS FOOTBALL


LIVING


NEWS 8 EXPLORES


SPECIAL COVERAGE


COMMUNITY


COMMENTARY


ABOUT US


SEARCH


NEWS8CAST VIDEO




Join us on Dec. 1st for the Sons of Anarchy Season Finale Party at Texas Custom Choppers.



Contact News 8 through the IVC.

SPORTS



x60
Olympic swimmer wouldn't let cancer stop him
3/9/2009 10:52 AM
By: Jeff Power

Eric Shanteau, 25 at the Joe Jamail Swim Center.  
U.S. Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau cuts through the water like a hot knife through butter.

There's not much that can slow him down, not even cancer.

Shanteau was diagnosed with testicular cancer one week before the Olympic trials in 2008. He decided to defer treatment for testicular cancer until after his Olympic competition back in Beijing. Although no one can put themselves in another person's position, the consequence of this decision could not be greater. But fortunately for Shanteau, his cancer was detected early on.
More Information
More about overcoming cancer
More Information

Making treatment decision tools
Young adults battle cancer
•More about testicular cancer

Overcoming cancer is a daily reminder to the 25-year-old swimmer of what he's had to endure. Representing Longhorn Aquatics, Shanteau continues to rack up first place finishes including a few more at this past week's Grand Prix of Austin at the Joe Jamail Swim Center at the University of Texas campus.

"It's overwhelming and that's an understatement. You try and describe it and put it into words, but unless you sit in a doctor's office and he tells you that you've got cancer, you will never know what I mean," he said.
 WATCH THE VIDEO
More Information
Overcoming cancer

U.S. Olympic Swimmer Eric Shanteau made a huge decision last year to postpone surgery to remove cancer, in order to pursue Olympic glory.



With plenty of health and emotional distractions weighing down on him, Shanteau placed second in the 200-meter breaststroke at the Olympic Trials, which guaranteed him a spot on the U.S. Olympic swim team.

"As I told him, 'if you were my son you would not be going to the Olympics,'" UT men's swim coach Eddie Reese said. "None of us knew what it took out of him to do what he did last year, knowing that he had cancer and to have the cancer at work in his body. He didn't swim nearly as well as he is going to swim."

Shanteau said deferring his surgery to remove the cancer after his Olympic competition is not something that he would recommend to others.
 

"With any type of cancer, the earlier you catch it, the better survival rates there are," he said.

Despite swimming his fastest time ever in the 200-meter breaststroke, Shanteau returned to the U.S. without a medal around his neck, but the albatross of ridding his body of cancer. He underwent successful surgery on August 27 of last year to remove the cancerous testicle and is now declared cancer free.

"He has just become an outstanding young man. I think he has become a great spokesman for swimming and for cancer research," Longhorn women's swim coach Kim Brackin said. "I love the fact that he's been able to push through it and stay positive the whole way."

U.S. Olympic medalist and former Longhorn, Aaron Piersol said Shanteau has overcome a giant hurdle and is swimming better than ever.

"He's healthy now and he's swimming better now than ever. Honestly, we never even talk about it anymore for the most part," Piersol said.

Shanteau said cancer shouldn't mean the end of the road.

"When you think of cancer, you don't have to think of death and all the terrible things. It's a terrible disease but it doesn't have to mean life is over," he said.



Email this Story to a Friend
Printer Friendly Version
Search SPORTS

Weather Center
overnight
11/21/2009
Mid 50s
morning
11/21/2009
Near 50
daytime
11/21/2009
Mid 60s

Troubled Waters
News 8's Jenna Hiller explored the troubled waters in Central Texas and traveled down the Colorado River in search of information. Click on the links to watch, read and interact.

Part 1: Regional cooperation drying out
Part 2: Texas rice farmer takes on water wars
Part 3: Security of supply saturates perception
Part 4: Bad news travels near and far
Part 5: Bad news travels near and far

Where does your water come from?

Serving the Entire Central Texas Area

For News 8's continuing coverage of the Fort Hood mass shootings visit our Fort Hood Shooting section, watch video from reporters in the field and press conferences with officials, and view our photo galleries: The Day Of The Shootings | The Memorial | The Victims
Online Poll

The City of Austin plans to have the Nueces Bike Boulevard opened by late spring. The boulevard would be a multi-use path where car traffic is discouraged. How do you feel about this?
I think this is a great idea, we need more roads like this
I think it needs more public input
I don’t think this is a good idea
Other-Your comments

VoteView Results
Neighborhood Calendar
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Oct NOVEMBER 2009 Dec
S M T W Th F S
Week Of 11/1/2009-11/7/2009 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Week Of 11/8/2009-11/14/2009 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Week Of 11/15/2009-11/21/2009 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Week Of 11/22/2009-11/28/2009 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Week Of 11/29/2009-12/5/2009 29 30





Baby Products





Home | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Information | Site Map | Click for RSS information
Copyright ©2009TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin

Web production by Tipit


Digital Cable offers the latest in home-viewing entertainment.
Talk as long as you want to anyone in Texas and the United States for one low monthly price.
Time Warner Cable now offers you more choices in High Speed Internet service.
Time Warner Digital Cable offers a wide variety of commercial products designed to accelerate the gr
Video On Demand lets you instantly choose from a wide selection of great movies and award- winning p
Digital Cable channel lineups.
Time Warner Cable of Austin offers 15 HDTV channels on digital cable.
TV listings for your service area.
Take a look at the special offers and promotions available now through Time Warner Cable Austin.
Record two shows at once. Plus fast-forward, rewind, and even pause LIVE TV to get a snack, answer t

On the go? Follow us on Twitter and we'll keep you current.

Connect with your Austin local businesses now.First in Sports in Austin -- 1530 AM, ESPN Radio.Sponsored Links

Join us on Sunday, December 13 for the Jinglebell 5k, benefiting MADD.