Swim: Hall may limit swims to beat diabetes

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2001
Swim: Hall may limit swims to beat diabetes

By Janelle Miles

BRISBANE, Aug 30 AAP - America's Gary Hall Jnr may limit himself to one swim a day
at the Goodwill Games after having to inject huge quantities of insulin to stabilise his
diabetes during the US men's crushing defeat by Australia.

And Australian backstroker Josh Watson is a doubtful starter for tomorrow night's clash
with the European All-stars after a mystery illness forced doctors to send him to hospital
during last night's opening session of men's swimming.

Australian team media manager Ian Hanson said Watson had undergone blood tests and
ultrasounds today to find out why the Olympian suffered a dizzy spell after his third
placing in the 100m backstroke.

Hanson said Watson, who had left hospital, would be guided by doctors whether to swim
tomorrow night.

Hall, the Olympic 50m freestyle champion, said his blood sugar levels went through
the roof after he anchored the US team's medley relay in last night's first event against
the Australians.

The Ian Thorpe-anchored Australians easily won the contest and went on to take the
first match of the round robin series by 93.5 points to the Americans' 55.5.

Hall said he had to inject himself with fast-acting insulin after the relay before
lining up for the 50m freestyle, tying for third with Australian Brett Hawke.

Queensland's Ashley Callus won the event in 22.52s from American Jason Lezak (22.59).

"I'm not a guy trying to make excuses ... but I'm having a tough time of it," Hall
said after losing his signature race.

"I was really struggling after that relay. My blood sugar levels were pretty out of
control. The problem when they're too high is that the oxygen doesn't circulate as well.

"You feel nauseous. It's almost like you have too much caffeine and it's like a lock-jaw
sensation."

Hall gave himself 60 units of insulin, describing the dose as a "huge amount", but
even then his blood sugar levels had not stabilised sufficiently by the time he took to
the blocks for the 50m.

"The risk in giving yourself such a large quantity of insulin is that if you give yourself
too much and you go too low that's when you hear about people going into a coma and stuff,"

Hall said.

"Either I'm going to work on trying to figure out a system in which I'm able to better
control it or just be looking at the 50.

"I'll discuss this with the coaches and see if I can't come up with a better plan."

Hall, with his gravity defying hair, has become one of the most colourful swimmers
on the blocks in world swimming, igniting a war of words ahead of last year's Olympics
by pledging to smash the Australians "like guitars".

The Americans will meet the World All-star team tomorrow night in the round robin series
and are expected to clash with Australia again on Monday in the gold medal round.

AAP jhm/sp

KEYWORD: GOOD SWIM SICK

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