She still can. Six months after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, Paralympic champion Elena Semechin swam her first competition on Thursday – in the midst of lengthy chemotherapy. The International German Championships in Berlin felt like she was swimming “for the first time in a competition,” says Semechin. “Because after the surgery I have something like a new life.”
The visually impaired swimmer won a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke. The meeting in Berlin was Semechin’s first competition after hers Triumph of Tokyo last summer, when the 28-year-old swam away from all her opponents.
Diagnosis “brain tumor” according to Tokyo-Gold
In October 2021, the swimmer, who started under her birth name Krawzow, was suddenly struck by severe symptoms. “Since Tokyo I’ve been plagued by headaches and dizzy spells,” she wrote on social media at the time. What followed was the shock. Medical examinations provided one Semechin diagnosed with brain tumor.
“I had fulfilled the dream I had cherished for years with the gold medal in Tokyo – and then shortly afterwards the diagnosis,” Semechin recalled in an interview with rbb. “Actually, you can’t experience a greater difference in feeling.”
The swimmer underwent an operation in the fall. However, it turned out that the tumor could not be completely removed – and the cancer cells were malignant. Berlin’s two-time Sportswoman of the Year then had to undergo radiation and chemotherapy.
Semechin has ambitious goals
But even the blows of fate apparently did not change the fact that Semechin, who has only two percent vision, continues to pursue her great passion with determination. “After the brain surgery, it took a while before I could go in the water,” she says. “During the radiation, I trained a bit on the side, as best I could. Now, with the second chemo cycle, it was a bit difficult because I took a few days off.” Nevertheless, she has been able to train with her teammates again for three weeks.
Now Semechin has set ambitious goals again and would like to go back to the big stage. “For this year I have made it my goal that I would also like to start at the World Championships in Madeira in June,” she says. She is now preparing as best she can for this.
Her illness and the chemotherapy are even additional motivation for her. “I appreciate my life even more now,” she says. And adds: “Who knows how long I have left.”
Broadcast: rbb24, March 31, 2022, 6 p.m
Source: rbb