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BEIJING - Aries Merritt, who will have a kidney transplant on September 1st, earned the bronze medal in the 110m hurdles with a season best time of 13.04. 

The feat is incredible for the world record-holder and 2012 Olympic champion. After finishing a disappointing sixth at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, Merritt was diagnosed with the kidney disorder Collapsing Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, or FSGS. Because of this, Merritt’s kidneys operate at under 20% function. He is unable to process protein or potassium the way he used to, properly recover like his competitors, or train nearly as hard as he was when he set the world record in 2012.

“You can tell I’m very thin,” Merritt said. “I’m not as toned or as bulky as I was before. I’m about 6 lbs under my world record weight and it’s just been a struggle.”



He competed scarcely in 2014, registering a season best time of 13.27, a far ways away from 2013 (13.09) and his 2012 WR of 12.80.

“I’ve just been having to alter a lot of my training. It’s been a complete lifestyle change.”

Merritt raced seven times before competing at this year’s 2015 USTAF Championships, showing glimpses of his old self at the Pre Classic on May 30, where he ran 13.12 for second. After placing third in Eugene, Oregon to qualify for his fourth world championship team, Merritt still wasn’t a medal favorite standing next to teammate and reigning World champion David Oliver.

Merritt defied the odds against him this evening in the National Stadium when he earned his first ever world championship medal by finishing third behind Russia's Sergey Shubenkov (12.98) and Jamaica's Hansle Parchment (13.03). Oliver would finished eighth in 13.33.

“Obviously it was the best race I’ve had all year,” Merritt said. “I ran a season’s best and I’ve been executing these rounds really well and it’s been very mentally tough to make it this far.”

“I feel like my bronze medal is a gold medal to be honest,” a smiling Merritt said.

At the post race press conference, Shubenkov and Parchment offered their congratulations to Merritt on competing with his current condition.

“I congratulate him on getting a medal here and I hope his surgery goes well and we will see him in Rio,” said Parchment, the 2012 Olympic Bronze medalist.

Shubenkov offered a similar sentiment but was unaware of Merritt’s condition prior to competition. “I still cannot imagine how this is possible,” Shubenkov said. “It was obvious for me as we progressed through the rounds that, ‘Aries Merritt is actually returning!’ Now I learn he has such rare condition, it’s just beyond my realization.”

Merritt’s sister, LaToya Hubbard, will serve as his donor and he says he is “very optimistic” about his surgery. “You might not see me indoor, but hopefully training and recovery will go to plan and you’ll see me for outdoor season.”

Watch Merritt's full interview after earning the bronze medal in the 110m hurdles: