Delaying chemotherapy, American Gabriele Grunewald finished ninth in the 1500m at the Pre Classic on Friday night.
“I’m a professional runner and four-time cancer survivor,” Grunewald told Lewis Johnson on NBCSN. “I’m still in the fight. I have treatment ahead of me this summer. I’m really just trying to hold onto running because it’s gotten me through so much.”
Grunewald just missed making the 2012 Olympic team, finishing fourth in the 1500m at the Trials, where the top three earned London berths.
That came three years after she was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare cancer.
Last August, Grunewald had surgery to remove cancer from her liver, which left a 13-inch scar across her stomach visible during Friday’s race.
The cancer resurfaced again in March. She’s putting off chemotherapy until later this summer in a quest to qualify for and race at the U.S. Championships in June.
Grunewald needs to clock 4:09.50 by June 18 for direct entry into the U.S. Championships. Her best time so far this season is 4:12.29, but Grunewald ran 4:01.48 back in 2013.
Her time Friday was 4:15.04.
“Lots of rare cancers out there that don’t have cures. Mine’s of them,” Grunewald said. “So I’m just hoping I can find a treatment that will help me out.”
Full Pre Classic results are here.
Pre Classic coverage continues Saturday on NBC and streaming on NBC Sports Gold from 4-6 p.m. ET.
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