A Man Who Conquered More Than Just Cancer
Dutchman Maarten van der Weijden had a passion for swimming from a young age. But when he was just 19 years old, doctors diagnosed him with leukemia.
The doctors gave a grim prognosis, saying Maarten was unlikely to survive the cancer. However, not only did Maarten survive, but he also returned to swimming just two years later! Moreover, in 2008, he won a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics!
Recently, he accomplished another remarkable feat…
Professional athletes are renowned for their perseverance, and Maarten is no exception. Recently, he attempted to swim the 200-kilometer (124-mile) route of the Elfstedentocht ice skating race in the Netherlands. Maarten embarked on this challenge to raise funds for cancer research—a cause particularly close to his heart.
The swim was expected to take three days, with short breaks for sleep.
However, during the swim, Maarten fell ill, and the water was deemed too polluted for swimming.
He managed to cover 163 kilometers (101 miles) in 55 hours.
Here’s what his arms and legs looked like after 55 hours in the water:
Despite the challenges, the fundraising event was a success: Maarten raised over $4 million. Here’s what people are saying:
“Living legend…”
“He even slept while floating! He wanted to swim the entire course of the largest ice skating race in Holland—the Elfstedentocht.”
“That’s over 100 miles, by the way!”
“Man, I can’t even swim 3 kilometers, let alone 163!”
“He still won… he definitely won my heart!”
“He swam 101 miles before giving up. Incredible.”
“A true fighter!”
What do you think?
P.S. Share your thoughts in the comments.