In an effort to secure that medal, though, Bromell tumbled across the track at the finish, activating some heel pain caused by a bone spur that was growing by his Achilles.
Ultimately Bromell had to be wheeled away.
Bromell underwent two other surgeries after the Rio Games. After going two years between races, an adductor muscle in his upper leg was also ruptured in his first meet back in 2019. This challenged Bromell beyond his imagination.
He even said he’d gotten to a point when he questioned whether he wanted to continue living.
But through his faith in God, he was able to pull through. “I’m a spiritual runner, who competes with the message that God is real.”
His recent successes, he says are attributed to not only his beliefs but his training as well.
“I really want people to understand this, doctors, people who wait years learning about this stuff, told me I will not be able to run,” Bromell said in another interview. “All I had was my faith. All I had was my strength, perseverance.”
The biggest lesson he’s learned during the challenging five-year journey is, “Understanding that internally I’m not as strong, and understanding that I need people and I need my faith to be able to do what y’all saw today,” he said in another interview. “We’re human, we break down easily. We’re not as strong as we think we are, and that’s one thing I had to realize.”