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Maarten van der Weijden

Just a few years after recovering from leukaemia, swimmer Maarten van der Weijden won Olympic gold. He reveals the techniques and mindset that got him through his darkest days.

When Maarten van der Weijden was diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of 19, he thought it was not only the end of his sporting career, but his life. According to Maarten, he was a β€œlazy” patient and didn’t β€œwin a fight” against cancer; he says he survived simply because he was β€œlucky”. But having been given a second chance at life, he was determined to make the most of it.

Just a few years after recovering from cancer, Maarten won open-water swimming gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He reveals the techniques and mindset that got him through his darkest days, and the significance of setting goals in order to achieve things, whether that be in sport or life.

He retired from competitive swimming after winning Olympic and World championship gold in 2008, and dedicated himself to raising funds for other leukaemia sufferers by completing the most severe of swimming challenges. So far, he has raised more than $15 million.

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38 minutes

Last on

Sat 12 Jun 2021 01:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Wed 9 Jun 2021 03:32GMT
  • Wed 9 Jun 2021 04:32GMT
  • Wed 9 Jun 2021 10:32GMT
  • Wed 9 Jun 2021 21:32GMT
  • Wed 9 Jun 2021 22:32GMT
  • Sat 12 Jun 2021 01:32GMT

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