Meet the incredible Maarten Van Der Weijden from Netherlands! He was considered to be a promising swimming talent from a very young age, but unfortunately something happened that could have ended everything.
When Maarten was only 19 years old, he got the devastating news that he had leukemia. Doctor told him that there was a very small chance that he’ll survive. Maarten was not ready to give up yet and he proved everyone wrong. Maarten beat leukemia and went back to swimming only two years after his diagnosis. This incredibly brave man even won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in 2008.
Recently, Maarten pushed himself to the limits and attempted to swim 120 miles (200 kilometers) long track. Maarten entered the event for a cause close to his heart, to raise funds for cancer research. The swim took 3 days and it also included short naps. Maarten managed to swim 163 kilometers in 55 hours and unfortunately, had to give up the race because he fell ill. Although he didn’t reach his goal, the fundraising campaign was extremely successful, raising more than 4 million dollars.
