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Olympics • Six-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Amy Van Dyken severed her spinal cord in an all-terrain vehicle accident over the weekend, and she told emergency workers she could not move her toes or feel anything touching her legs.
The 41-year-old swimmer, who goes by her married name Amy Van Dyken Rouen, was injured Friday. She was airlifted to a hospital in Scottsdale, Ariz., and had surgery to stabilize her spine.
Hospital spokeswoman Alice Giedraitis didn't provide details Monday on Rouen's injuries. She said the swimmer was in good condition Monday afternoon.
A letter from the Van Dyken and Rouen families said she severed her spinal cord at the T11 vertebrae and that the broken vertebrae came within millimeters of rupturing her aorta.
"Amy awoke within hours of surgery acting like her typical spunky, boisterous, ebullient self and has spent the last 24 hours entertaining her family and her medical staff in the ICU," the letter said.
A report by the Show Low Police Department said the ATV that Rouen was driving hit a curb in a restaurant parking lot and sent her over a drop-off of between 5 and 7 feet.
Rouen was found lying on the ground next to the ATV. She was strapped to a backboard and airlifted to Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center.
A witness said he saw Rouen launch over the curb and found her unresponsive when he arrived on the scene, the report said. Rouen was not wearing a helmet at the time.
Her husband, former Denver Broncos punter Tom Rouen, told police officers he had changed the throttle mechanism on the ATV from a thumb accelerator to a twist accelerator a few days before the accident, though wasn't sure if it was a factor in the accident.
He said his wife had not been drinking alcohol that evening.
"So hard hearing about (Amy) and her horrific accident," fellow American swimmer Missy Franklin said on Twitter. "I am praying continually for you and your family."
Rouen starred at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where she became the first U.S. female athlete to win four gold medals in a single games. She captured the 50-meter freestyle and 100 butterfly and also competed on the winning relay teams in the 400 free and 400 medley.
Four years later at Sydney, she added two more golds in the 400 free and 400 medley relays before retiring from competition.
In 2003, she was among numerous prominent athletes who testified before a grand jury investigating the BALCO doping scandal. Rouen never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs during her career.
"The USA Swimming family is devastated to learn of Amy Van Dyken's unfortunate accident this weekend," the organization said in a statement. "We're happy to hear that she escaped and is now in great care. That she is already 'acting like her typical spunky, boisterous, ebullient self' shows she's on a great path."
"Amy is a champion who has proven throughout her life that she is a fighter who takes on challenges and comes out on top. We know Amy will tackle her rehabilitation with vigor and be back on her feet sooner rather than later," it said.
Rouen grew up in Denver and became a world-class swimmer despite suffering from asthma as a child and into adulthood. She swam two years at the University of Arizona and transferred to Colorado State University, where she broke the U.S. record in the 50-yard freestyle during the 1994 NCAA championships.
She has worked in television and radio after retiring from competitive swimming, and currently lives in the Phoenix area with her husband.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Amy during this difficult time, but we know she'll fight her way back to health," Arizona swimming and diving coach Rick DeMont said in a statement. "Her drive and determination helped her become one of swimming's all-time greats and we know she'll use those same attributes as she sets out on the path to recovery."
• More than four years after saying he had nothing to be sorry for, USA Swimming chief Chuck Wielgus finally apologized to victims of sexual abuse for the first time.
Wielgus has resisted repeated calls to step down as executive director and pointed to enhanced steps to protect athletes as proof that he was serious about eradicating sexual predators from the program.
But he was recently forced to withdraw from the International Swimming Hall of Fame induction class and now acknowledges that he should have done more.
Wielgus wrote a post on the organization's website that started with two words: "I'm sorry."
The apology referenced a much-criticized 2010 television interview in which a defiant Wielgus said he had done nothing wrong in the handling of dozens of sexual abuse cases under his leadership.
"These are powerful words some people have wanted to hear from me for a long time," he said in the blog. "And so today, four long years later, I can truthfully say how sorry I am to the victims of sexual abuse."
WCC names Holzman commissioner
COLLEGE ATHLETICS • The West Coast Conference has promoted Lynn Holzman to be its new commissioner.
The conference announced Monday that Holzman would replace Jamie Zaninovich, who will leave later this week to become the deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of the Pac-12.
Holzman has spent nearly two years in the WCC, most recently as executive senior associate commissioner and chief operating officer. She oversaw day-to-day affairs and led the development of the conference's three-year strategic plan.
Holzman has previously spent 16 years working for the NCAA. She last served as director of academic and membership affairs.
Holzman played basketball at Kansas State.
California Chrome co-owner apologizes
Horse Racing • California Chrome co-owner Steve Coburn apologized Monday for his bitter remarks after his horse failed to win the Triple Crown.
Coburn said on ABC's "Good Morning America" he was "very ashamed of myself. Very ashamed. I need to apologize to a lot of people, including my wife, Carolyn."
She tried to intervene as Saturday's interview got out of control, explaining that her husband was "very emotional and I was trying to calm him down."
Coburn also apologized to the connections of winning horse Tonalist, saying: "I did not mean to take anything away from them."
On Saturday, he had said that Tonalist took "the coward's way out" by skipping the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Sunday, he doubled down by pointing out that "it wouldn't be fair if I played basketball with a child in a wheelchair because I got an unfair advantage."
By Monday though, he tried to make amends. Coburn's lower lip quivered at times during the interview in which he apologized to co-owner Perry Martin and trainer Art Sherman, among others.
"I need to apologize to the world and America, our fans that have written us, given us so much support. I apologize, I sincerely apologize," Coburn said. "This is America's horse. I wanted this so much, for this horse to win the Triple Crown for the people of America."
If the Belmont had only been open to horses than ran in the Derby and Preakness, there would have been just three horses in Saturday's race, making it unlikely the third-largest crowd of 102,199 would have shown up or that a record $19,105,877 would have been wagered on-track.
California Chrome, General a Rod and Ride On Curlin were the only horses to run in all three. General a Rod finished seventh in the Belmont and Ride On Curlin did not finish.
California Chrome beat them both, but finished tied for fourth, possibly as a result of a cut foot that he apparently sustained after bumping another horse leaving the starting gate.
"He'll be able to race again," Coburn said.