Dutch swimmer Sharon van Rouwendaal has captured hearts worldwide with her emotional dedication of her 10km marathon swim gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics to her late dog, Rio. Van Rouwendaal, who won the event on August 8, shared that the victory was especially meaningful as it was done in memory of her beloved pet, who passed away in May.
A Heartfelt Dedication to Rio
Van Rouwendaal's connection with her dog, Rio, a Pomeranian named after her 2016 Olympic gold medal in Brazil, was deep. When Rio died earlier this year due to complications following lung surgery, it left her devastated. 'My world stopped when Rio died,” Van Rouwendaal said, reflecting on the loss of her "little baby."
"He needed a little operation for his lungs so I gave it to him in the hope we could live in the Netherlands after the Olympics together in my house with a garden. He had complications after the surgery and he died.”
Dutch Swimmer Wins Olympic Gold, Dedicates Victory to Late Dog
"So I had a tattoo three days after the cremation and I said, ‘Let’s try it and I will swim for him with my whole heart’ — and I did it — I won for him," she told the media. Her father encouraged her to continue swimming, urging her to race one more time in Rio's memory. This motivation reignited her passion, leading her to dedicate her training and ultimately her gold medal at the Paris Olympics to her beloved pet.
The swimmer also shared an emotional post on social media following the death of her beloved dog, Rio. She revealed that she had bought a house where they were supposed to live together after the Paris Olympics. She ended her post by saying that Rio would always be the most important thing in her life, and she would never forget him.
In the marathon swim, held in the challenging waters of the River Seine, Van Rouwendaal faced stiff competition but ultimately secured the gold medal in a time of 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 34.2 seconds. She overtook Australia’s Moesha Johnson in the final lap to claim victory. Upon emerging from the water, Van Rouwendaal pointed to and kissed a tattoo of Rio's paw print on her wrist, a permanent reminder of her late companion.
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