Australia’s Zac Thomas Provides Update on Cardiac Episode at Semifinals
Zac Thomas, a young gun out of Australia, was a legitimate contender to qualify for the CrossFit Games at the 2024 Oceania Semifinal, but a cardiac episode in Event 1 took him out of contention. In the aftermath, Thomas was left searching for answers as to the root cause of his terrifying ordeal.
The Morning Chalk Up caught up with Thomas to see how his recovery has been going since his medical withdrawal from the Torian Pro.
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Zac Thomas Gives an Update
When we last spoke to Thomas, he was about to start his month of heart monitoring with the goal of trying to induce another cardiac event.
- “I had a cord across my chest for a month. It was a pretty horrible month, to be honest,” he said. “Two times a week, I would try and bring on an attack of SVT, which is what we initially thought it was.”
Editor’s Note: According to the Mayo Clinic, supraventricular tachycardia, or SVT, is a type of irregular heartbeat that affects the heart’s upper chambers and could lead to lightheadedness, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
After a month of intensive heart monitoring and trying to replicate the conditions needed to induce an attack, the results didn’t confirm or deny SVT.
- However, Thomas’s cardiologist now believes that he suffers from vasovagal syncope, a condition that “causes your heart rate and blood pressure to drop suddenly,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
Thomas’ doctor believes that he had the perfect storm to bring on vasovagal syncope when he was competing back in May.
- Thomas was dealing with a viral lung infection, the stress of the competition, and the overwhelming heat during the Oceania Semifinal. He also remembers drinking a huge amount of water before the event to calm his nerves.
Thomas’ cardiologist believes that all these factors combined stopped the blood flow to his brain, causing his body to begin shutting down.
The positive news is that Thomas says his vasovagal syncope can be treated with a few simple dietary changes, including putting more salt on his food.
- Thomas has also been advised to avoid drinking too much water without electrolytes (like sodium) and to wear compression pants to help the blood flow to the brain while working out.
What’s Next
Thomas has been feeling great since these new changes, and he’s excited to ramp up training in preparation for the Down Under Championship in October, where he’ll be competing in the Elite Pairs division with Luke De Jonge.
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Thomas also wants to bring awareness to his health scare in the hope of helping fellow athletes.
- “I knew that I probably should have stopped myself [at the Torian Pro], but in the heat of the moment, I just kept going,” he said. “All us athletes do it. We push ourselves for the sport. We want to be the best in the sport, but at what point do we need to pull ourselves back and do it for ourselves and our own health?”
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Featured image: @zacthomas18 / Instagram