ITF

114 ESTHER VERGEER Netherlands SYDNEY 2000 WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR SINGLES GOLD SYDNEY 2000 WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES GOLD ATHENS 2004 WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR SINGLES GOLD ATHENS 2004 WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES GOLD BEIJING 2008 WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR SINGLES GOLD BEIJING 2008 WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES SILVER LONDON 2012 WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR SINGLES GOLD LONDON 2012 WOMEN'S WHEELCHAIR DOUBLES GOLD I n Sydney I remember feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of a Paralympic Games – so many spectators, so much media attention and so on. So that was awesome. As for winning it, I had a bit of luck with the draw – my strongest rival, Daniela Di Toro, from Australia, went out early in the competition. I was No. 2 in the world at that moment, I think. Daniela was the favourite and she went out in the quarterfinals. Of course, when I actually won the gold I was amazed and shocked. And then after that, all the attention you get, that was cool. In a Paralympic Games nothing can ever be a foregone conclusion. It's a tournament in which you face opponents you've faced many times before but a Paralympics is a different environment; it gave me a lot more energy and a lot more excitement. So just to get nominated by your country was exciting. I always mention the final in Beijing, which was one of the most memorable matches of my career. Firstly, because the pressure was enormous – everyone expected me to win – but I was in this battle with Korie Homan, another Dutch girl, from the years before and we battled out lots of matches, many of which went the distance, so there was going to come a day either at the Paralympics or around that time when she was going to beat me. It has enabled me to have more influence in other people's lives and this is one of the things I'm most proud of. It has enabled me to have more influence in other people's lives and this is one of the things I'm most proud of. →

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