Paralympic champion Elena Semechin will compete again despite ongoing chemotherapy after her brain tumor.
The visually impaired swimmer, who won gold in the 100 m breaststroke at the Summer Games in Tokyo, will compete on Thursday at 12.40 p.m. at the International German Championships in Berlin on her parade course in the preliminary heat. This was announced by the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS) on Wednesday.
“I don’t want to let my life be determined by cancer,” said the 28-year-old: “Even though I’ve been feeling bad because of the chemotherapy in the last few days, I’ll try to swim the 100m breaststroke on Thursday.”
In October, Semechin (née Krawzow) was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and at the beginning of November she survived the difficult operation well. Her lengthy chemotherapy began at the end of the year. With a view to starting at the World Cup in Madeira in June, she was already confident back then. “I have to see how I’m doing, but I’m optimistic,” she told “SID” at the time.