According to the Adelaide
Advertiser four years ago, thirty-seven-year-old wheelchair athlete Marieke
Vervoort who has an incurable spinal degenerative disease won gold in the 100m
sprint in her T52 class, and silver in the 200m.
Belgian Paralympic champion
Marieke Vervoort has made it clear that the Rio Paralympics will be her last -
then she'll plan her final days on earth.
Now, it has worsened to the
extent she is considering euthanizing herself following the Rio carnival, which
begins tomorrow.
In French newspaper Le
Parisien, the decorated sportswoman has revealed her daily agony that has her
contemplating the heart-wrenching decision to take her own life. She said
“Everybody sees me laugh
with my gold medal, but no one sees the dark side,”
“I suffer greatly,
sometimes sleeping only ten minutes a night — and still go for the gold.
“Rio is my last wish. I
train very hard even if I have to fight day and night against my illness. I
hope to finish my career on a podium in Rio.
“There is a chance to
medal, but it will be very hard because the competition is very strong.
“Then we’ll see what life
brings me and I try to enjoy the best moments.”
The newspaper claims a combination
of fatigue from sleepless nights and the agony of her condition means Vervoort
faints regularly at home, woken only by her dog licking her face.
Euthanasia was legalised in
Belgium in 2002, with the written consent of three doctors.
Vervoort has drawn up a
“bucket list” but is not understood to have confirmed her euthanasia decision.
She was paralysed in 2000
when struck by a rare disease.
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