Marieke Vervoort

Marieke Vervoort
Marieke Vervoort during the Run to walk again-event in Tongerlo, September 2012
Personal information
National team Belgium
Born (1979-05-10) 10 May 1979
Diest
Sport
Country Belgium
Disability class Wheelchair racing
Event(s) T52 100m
Updated on 16 August 2016.

Marieke Vervoort (born 10 May 1979 in Diest) is a Belgian athlete.[1][2]

Life

Vervoort practices athletics and blokarting and earlier she completed in triathlons. In the 2012 London Paralympic Games she won the silver medal in the T52 200m wheelchair race, setting a European record. She also won the gold medal in the T52 100m wheelchair race.[3][4]

At the World Championships for Paralympic athletes in Doha, she became world champion. She covered 200 meters in 35.91 which was two seconds off her European record (33.65).

In 2015, she was awarded the Vlaamse Reus, an annual prize given out by Flemish sports journalists.[5]

Despite her success, Vervoort said that she was considering euthanasia as she was preparing for the Paralympics in Rio. She suffers from a painful degenerative disease and she has said that Rio is her "last wish".[6] She has clarified that this does not mean euthanasia will occur immediately after the games, stating that "You have to live day-by-day and enjoy the little moments. When the day comes—when I have more bad days than good days—I have my euthanasia papers. But the time is not there yet."[7]

She lives with Zenn, her assistance Labrador.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Wielemie - Sporten voor het leven
  2. ↑ Het Nieuwsblad, 19 november 2013
  3. ↑ Marieke Vervoort is wereldkampioene op de 200 meter
  4. ↑ Belgian Paralympic Committee: Atletiek - Drie Europese records voor debutante Marieke Vervoort
  5. ↑ Het Laatste Nieuws - Marieke Vervoort is Vlaamse Reus 2015
  6. ↑ Paralympics champion considers euthanasia as she announces Rio will be last competition, Katie Mansfield, 1 August 2016, Express, Retrieved 20 August 2016
  7. ↑ Newsweek
  8. ↑ "Marieke Vervoort: Paralympian who has signed euthanasia papers". BBC Sport. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.


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