Joy for Dutchman who beat cancer

A Dutchman who had been given only a slim chance of survival after being diagnosed with leukaemia won one of the Olympics most gruelling events yesterday, the marathon open-water swim. Maarten van der Weijden was diagnosed with leukaemia seven years...

A Dutchman who had been given only a slim chance of survival after being diagnosed with leukaemia won one of the Olympics most gruelling events yesterday, the marathon open-water swim. Maarten van der Weijden was diagnosed with leukaemia seven years ago but pulled through after a stem cell transplant and a course of chemotherapy. He timed his surge to perfection to win a sprint finish after a three-man fight for gold in the Games' inaugural 10km men's race, after a contest lasting nearly two hours. Great Britain's David Davies and Germany's Thomas Lurz finished second and third respectively.

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