NO DEVIATING DEVERS : DESPITE DEBILITATING INJURIES, SPRINTER WON'T GIVE UP.

Byline: Sam McManis Knight-Ridder Newspapers

Surely, Gail Devers can see the symbolism inherent in her signature event, the 100-meter hurdles. Surely, she can equate the barriers she must scale on the track with the physical struggles she has overcome and still faces. Surely, too, she's darn tired of having to do so.

This incredibly resilient sprinter has overcome a career-threatening illness that almost resulted in the amputation of her feet to win a gold medal in the 100 meters in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Days later, as the overwhelming favorite in the 100-meter hurdles, she stumbled over the last hurdle, lost her lead and crawled to the finish line.

``In anything, I feel like you've got to get over some type of goal or obstacle in your life,'' Devers said. ``My whole career, I've had to deal with injuries and illness. Maybe they've sidelined me for a while, but it hasn't taken away my determination and will to keep going no matter the obstacles.''

Another giant hurdle awaits Devers, 29. It is in Atlanta at the Olympic Trials, an event where she previously has stared down Olympic-sized tribulations. Friday, Devers won both her heats in the 100 meters.

Devers still is coping with Graves disease, trying to find a medication that won't make her queasy but still will keep her thyroid disorder in check. Of more immediate concern to Devers is her chronic injury to the insertion muscle in the fold of her left buttocks that had sidelined her from the 100 meters for nearly two years.

And, of course, there's always the hurdle that is Gwen Torrence. In the 1992 Olympics, Devers upset Torrence in the 100, so upsetting a loss for Torrence that she accused several women in the race of using steroids. Tonight, in the semifinals and finals of the 100, Torrence will be the overwhelming favorite. But don't count out Devers.

Time and again, she has proved that she cannot be easily dismissed. So inspiring is Devers that Showtime will premiere its movie of her life, ``Run For the Dream: The Gail Devers Story'' on Sunday night.

Devers, naturally, is hoping for an epilogue coming from Atlanta in the next week. In addition to the grueling four-race schedule in the 100, next week in the 100 hurdles Devers must run in three heats before the finals in the event.

Ordinarily, this would be no problem for such an elite athlete. But, once again, these aren't ordinary times for Devers. It seems it wouldn't be a major meet without the specter of injury and illness hovering over Devers.

This time, it's not something so severe as Graves disease. Rather, it's an obscure muscle injury that nonetheless has threatened to end her sprinting career.

The insertion muscle wouldn't bother Devers until about a quarter into the race, just when she was nearing prime acceleration. At that point, she'd hear something approximating a pop, followed by debilitating pain.

Devers first experienced the problem in 1994. Month after month, Devers would endure extensive rehabilitation on the muscle only to aggravate it four more times. Finally, her doctors gave her two options - surgery or prolonged rest. Neither option appealed to Devers. But she chose to sit out of the 100 rather than undergo invasive surgery.

``They said if I tore it again, they'd have to go in and remove the nerve,'' Devers said. ``They said if I was a distance runner, I'd be fine (after surgery), but since I'm a sprinter, I'd never be the same. I'd lose some fast-twitch fiber. So, part of my recovery was to stay away from the (100). The pain now has basically subsided, but if I sit a long time on airplanes it still hurts.''

Ask Devers how long she currently has been healthy, as reporters did in a conference call earlier this week, there's a pause that's fraught with significance.

``Hmmm,'' she said. ``I'd say going on a month.''

That's not exactly the optimal pre-Trials preparation. In addition to the insertion muscle and the continued monitoring of her thyroid disorder, Devers in the past two years has torn her right calf muscle and had right hamstring pain.

Torrence has been a pain, too, though Devers is extremely diplomatic about her relationship with America's most-heralded sprinter. After Torrence's accusation following the Barcelona 100-meter final, Devers' coach, Bob Kersee, angrily denied the steroids charge and strongly criticized Torrence. Devers may join Torrence and two other women on the 400-meter relay team in next month's Olympics.

``We're competitors,'' Devers says of Torrence. ``We're always pleasant to each other. . . . We don't train together, so we don't hang out. On a relay team, the main goal is to get the stick around the track. Anything else that may bother the women will be left at the door.''

If only Devers' lengthy history of illness and injury could be so casually cast off. But then, if there weren't another hurdle to clear, it wouldn't seem like a challenge to Devers.

``Even if I were in a 9-to-5 job,'' Devers said, ``there'd still be some obstacles I'd have to get over.''

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2 Photos

Photo: (1) It doesn't appear like it here, but 100-meter sprinter Gail Devers, who finished first in her quarterfinal heat, has dealt with a number of injuries leading to the Olympic Trials, including a thyroid disorder. Despite being healthy just over a month, Devers is competing with Gwen Torrance for the top 100-meter time and a spot on the Olympic team. Devers won the 100-meter gold medal in the 1992 Barcelona Games but tripped in the 100-meter hurdles and crawled to the finish line.

(2) After nearly every race, Devers grimaces in pain from a painful muscle injury.

Associated Press