Athletes
Jonah Lomu
Also Known As the freight train in ballet shoes
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Jonah Lomu was a New Zealand rugby union player who transformed the wing position and became the sport's first global superstar at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, scoring seven tries including four in a devastating semi final performance against England that prompted opposing captain Will Carling to call him a freak. Standing 196 centimeters and weighing 125 kilograms with sprinter speed, he redefined what a winger could be during rugby's transition to professionalism. He played for years managing the kidney disorder nephrotic syndrome, received a transplant in 2004, and died of a heart attack linked to the condition in November 2015 at age 40.
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Career HighlightDiagnosed with the kidney disorder nephrotic syndrome in late 1995, he continued playing for years before receiving a kidney transplant in July 2004 from his friend Grant Kereama. 1 Career HighlightFinished his international career with 63 caps and 37 tries for New Zealand, and his fifteen career Rugby World Cup tries remain a shared all time record. 1 Career HighlightScored seven tries at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, including four in a single semi final against England, a performance that made him rugbys first true global superstar. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
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