Conversation so far:
What was Mary Decker's career?
recognized as a world-class runner.
Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
Unable to attend the 1972 Olympics as she was too young.
When was her first olympics?
1973.
Did she metal at the oplympics?
she did not compete in the 1976 Olympics.
Did she ever metal?
CANNOTANSWER.
she did she do outside the olympics?
she had an operation to try to cure compartment syndrome.

Question: When did tht occur?
Self-contained rewrite: When did Mary Decker's operation occur?