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TORONTO -- The image of a sobbing Paula Findlay crossing the finish line in last place will be one of the most enduring of the London Olympics. Justin Tucker Black Jersey . The distraught 23-year-old triathlete from Edmonton said she just "had nothing in my legs," which she now believes was largely the result of iron deficiency anemia. Canadian sports medicine and nutrition experts say Findlays health diagnosis isnt particularly surprising. "Probably our highest risk group is the female elite endurance athlete," said Dr. Julia Alleyne, whos worked with Canadian athletes at five Olympic Games and is the medical director for Sport Care --the sports medicine clinic at Womens College Hospital in Toronto. Findlay announced earlier this week she was cutting her season short due to iron deficiency anemia. She had hoped to make up for her heartbreak in London with a strong showing at next months world championships in New Zealand before recent blood work showed low levels of iron. "Unfortunately the numbers came back with some of the lowest iron levels that the doctors had ever seen," Findlay wrote in a blog entry earlier this week. "It is a simple but quite serious problem that likely had a huge impact on my race in London, and got overlooked because of the focus on healing my injury." Anemia occurs when a persons blood contains insufficient red blood cells, which carry oxygen to tissues. Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness and mood changes. "If youre iron deficient, its more difficult to recover between hard intense effort, its harder to clear lactic acid, theres not as much oxygen in the blood, which would affect endurance," said Kelly Anne Erdman, a dietician and former Olympic cyclist. Women are more susceptible to iron deficiency anemia because of menstruation and because of their diet -- they eat less red meat than men. Athletes are even more susceptible because iron is lost through both sweating and through the digestive system during exercise. Iron is also lost through "heel-strike hemolysis," a process that sees red blood cells destroyed with each running step. Mild iron deficiency can be difficult to detect, said Alleyne, and many athletes dont show symptoms until the condition is moderate to severe. "Signs in athletes would be differences in training. . . times dropping, recovery time lengthened. Thats what should trigger that maybe we should do your (blood) testing more frequently," Alleyne said. Findlays diagnosis was more bad news for the former world No. 1 triathlete. A hip injury that had plagued her for a year limited her to just six weeks of quality training before the Games. She had hoped to build on those few weeks and salvage 2012. Now Alan Trivett, director of Triathlon Canada, is investigating how Findlays condition wasnt discovered by doctors ahead of the London Games. Wynn Gmitroski, who has coached some of Canadas top middle-distance and distance runners, said stress can play a key role in an athletes iron levels and overall health. "It comes down to number one, nutrition, and number two, trying to moderate levels of stress," said Gmitroski, the lead coach for the National Athletics Centre in Victoria and a registered physiotherapist. "If a persons stressed out, theyre training too hard, and not recoveirng, digestion shuts down. You have to be in a relaxed state to be able to digest food properly and absorb it." Gmistroski doesnt feel fingers should be pointed in Findlays case. "It would obviously come down to pathways of communication and a lot of it comes down to the athletes responsibility, stepping forward and saying theres something going on and seeking help," Gmistroski said. "Really its not something that comes down to blame overall. The reality is when the wheels come off and people get stressed out they start forgetting about the little things and stuff like this can be missed." Findlay had been considered a favourite for a medal in London after winning five International Triathlon Union events including one on the London Olympic course. But she injured her hip just before a World Cup in Edmonton in July of 2011, the beginning of her downward spiral. She spent months trying to determine the nature of her injury and attempts to train through it led to more setbacks. She split with her coach Patrick Kelly in June and joined forces with Olympic champion Simon Whitfield and his coach Jon Brown two months prior to the Games. The day after the womens triathlon, an emotional Whitfield criticized Findlays team, saying her situation was "completely mismanaged." Triathlon Canada hired Libby Burrell as its new high performance director earlier this month, a move Whitfield tweeted was "Great news" for Triathlon Canada. Erdman said iron levels are constantly fluctuating, and that endurance athletes should have blood work done at least three times a year. She said endurance athletes with chronic iron problems should be tested as often as every six weeks. Because the life span of a red blood cell is about three months, theres no quick fix for iron deficiency anemia. Through iron supplements and a diet of iron-fortified foods such as red meat and green leafy vegetables, Alleyne said it might take up to two to three months for Findlays condition to turn around. The world triathlon championships are Oct. 18-22 in Auckland, New Zealand. Lardarius Webb Jersey . -- All-Star catcher Carlos Ruiz expects to return to the Philadelphia Phillies by early September after being sidelined with a left foot injury. Ray Lewis Purple Jersey . Manager Bruce Bochy said Tuesday that he and general manager Brian Sabean are meeting to finalize their 25-man roster for the best-of-five division series. Cabrera would be allowed to play in the NLCS if the Giants advance that far, but -- at this stage, at least -- they have no intention of adding him to the roster at any point in the post-season. http://www.theravensfanstore.com/authentic-maake-kemoeatu-super-bowl-jersey/ . The Raptors were a happy bunch, guaranteed the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and headed to Orlando for the first round of the playoffs. "We didnt want to go down, thats what it was about," Chris Bosh said. Ed Reed Black Jersey . The weather forecast is for continuous rain in the region through the evening with clearing expected Sunday morning. The race will now be held at 1:30pm et/10:30am pt on Sunday afternoon. Ed Reed Camo Jersey . Or call it a big underdog trying to gain some sort of mental edge on the eve of a big game at the Olympics.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Standing on third base, 90 feet from winning the game, Miguel Cairo noticed that pinch-hitter Wilson Valdez was giving him a look that suggested he had something in mind. A bunt. Valdezs safety squeeze with one out in the 10th inning sent the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night, an improvised ending to a game that had a little bit of everything. Home runs. Blown leads. A ball that hugged the outfield wall. And the Reds first game-ending bunt since June 26, 1990, when Jeff Reed did it for a 3-2 win over San Francisco in 12 innings. "It was something I decided," Valdez said. "I feel I can put down a perfect bunt." Cairo started the rally against left-hander Phil Coke (1-2) with his first triple of the season, a ball that rolled into the right field corner and hugged the wall, skittering past Matt Young. "It touched every part of the wall," Young said. "I took some balls (there) in batting practice, and no ball did what that ball did. It hugged the wall the whole time and gave Cairo a chance to get to third. Its tough and cost us a game." One out later, Valdez came up and decided to bunt. His biggest challenge was making sure Cairo knew it was coming. "He was looking at me and I was like, Here we go," Cairo said. "I was expecting it. I know he likes to do it. It was a perfect bunt." Cairo waited until Valdez got the bunt down to take off for home. The ball went to first baseman Prince Fielder, who grabbed it with his bare hand and flipped it home. Cairo went in headfirst and got his left hand on the plate ahead of the tag, securing the Reds 13th win in 19 games. "That was outstanding judgment by (Cairo) on knowing when to run, and a great slide at home plate," manager Dusty Baker said. Sam LeCure (2-1) pitched two innings, striking out three of the six batters he faced. Joey Votto had three hits for Cincinnati, including a three-run homer off Rick Porcello. Votto extended his hitting streak to 14 games, matching the longest of his career. "Ive felt really good lately," Vootto said. Dennis Pitta Elite Jersey. "A lot of things that werent going right earlier in the season Ive been able to clear up." Brennan Boesch and Delmon Young homered for the Tigers, who had never played at Great American Ball Park, which opened in 2003. Detroits first series in town since 2001 -- and a postgame fireworks show to Motor City music -- drew the Reds fourth sellout crowd of the season. Cincinnatis Chris Heisey made two diving catches in centre field, the second robbing Fielder of a hit. Fielder went 0 for 4 with a walk, ending his 14-game hitting streak. Some of the Tigers took early batting practice, working on their swings while getting an idea of how the ball carries at the unfamiliar ballpark. Answer: It really flies. Vottos homer in the third inning made it 54 straight games with at least one homer at Great American, the longest ongoing streak in the majors. There hasnt been a homerless game in the ballpark since July 29. During his 14-game streak, Votto has gone 28 of 51 (.549) with three homers and eight doubles. Boesch came into the game in a 4-for-42 slump. He connected on a solo homer off Mat Latos, the 12th homer the right-hander has allowed in a dozen starts. It was Boeschs first homer since May 17. Boesch had three hits overall, including an RBI single in the seventh off Jose Arredondo. Youngs homer off Arredondo put the Tigers up 5-4 in the eighth, but Todd Frazier tied it in the bottom of the inning with a pinch-hit double. Frazier was a late scratch at third base because of back spasms. NOTES: The Tigers are 2-2 in interleague play this season, the Reds 3-1. ... Bronson Arroyo makes his sixth career start against the Tigers on Saturday. Hes 2-1 with a 4.65 ERA against Detroit. Justin Verlander starts for the Tigers. ... C Gerald Laird was back in the Tigers lineup after injuring his right hamstring June 1. ... Tigers manager Jim Leyland said OF Austin Jackson could join the team from a rehab stint with Triple-A Toledo. Hes been on the DL since May 17 with a strained abdomen. ... Latos singled in the fourth inning, breaking his 0-for-29 slump since Aug. 29. ' ' '