U.S. Games
Two Recipients Rally in An Exciting Tennis Match
By Ashleigh Chicko
The Schenley Oval received a little more attention today than usual when the Transplant Games’ Tennis Tournament took place. People walking their dogs, playing with their kids, and even a woman with her personal-trainer looked on as the athletes once again wowed all.
Two women, Michele Dabal, 46 from Team Liberty, and Valerie Twomey, 41 from Team International, bared the heat as they rallied back-and-forth in a deuces match that lasted over an hour. Keeping themselves well-hydrated and taking much-needed breaks, these athletes stayed in top-performance mode.
Dabal had already put up an intense fight off the court three years ago when she received a liver transplant. Twomey, originally from Ireland, may have been the winner of the match, but she’s already a “winner” having received a kidney just over two years ago.
These women served up some fierce competition and proved that it is possible to be strong even after a transplant.
See photos from the event here.
