“I’m sad and scared”
German world champion is threatened with complete blindness
January 22, 2025 – 6:40 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Your vision is already severely limited. But things could get even worse for swimmer Elena Semechin, as she revealed.
The visually impaired swimmer Elena Semechin spoke out on Tuesday with an emotional statement, sharing her concerns about possible complete blindness. The two-time Paralympic gold medalist and three-time world champion wrote on her Instagram channel: “Is it really happening soon? Am I going completely blind? These are the questions running through my head right now.”
Background to Semechin’s thoughts: In December she noticed changes in her vision. “Sure, two percent is very little, but that’s exactly why you notice every little change,” she explained about noticing her changed vision. An examination by doctors has now confirmed her bad premonition.
“It has actually gotten worse,” said Semechin. “I’m sad and scared. How long will it take until the last remaining light goes out?” Nobody was able to give her an exact answer.
The 31-year-old now wants to try her “final luck” in Tübingen. There is a clinic there with gene therapy, Semechin said.
The Kazakh native was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease at the age of seven. This is an extremely rare congenital disease that severely limits vision.
Semechin only learned to swim at the age of 13, but still became an extremely successful athlete. In 2013, 2019 and 2023 she became world champion in the 100 meter breaststroke. She has also celebrated numerous victories at the European Para Swimming Championships since 2014. She has won seven gold medals at European level.
Her greatest successes came in 2020 and 2024. She secured gold in the 100 meter breaststroke at both the Paralympics in Tokyo and those in Paris. She won the silver medal in London 2012.