Paralympian eyes Olympic glory after "miracle" crash

[kpete]

Paralympian eyes Olympic glory after "miracle" crash


By Liza Jansen
(Reuters) - UTRECHT, The Netherlands, December 8 | Thu Dec 8, 2011 9:36am EST
(Reuters) - Paralympic silver medalist Monique van der Vorst has miraculously become an able-bodied Olympic hopeful after a crash reversed her paralysis.

Paralyzed from the hip down since she was 13, the 27-year-old handcyclist, who has just signed with the Rabobank women's professional cycling team to compete as a top-class able-bodied athlete, was hit by a bicycle last year while training in her wheelchair for the 2012 London Paralympics.

While recovering from the trauma, van der Vorst's feet started to tingle and miraculously she began to move them again. From that point on she spent months in the hospital and in the rehabilitation centre trying to regain the use of her legs.

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"I wanted to jump in the air for joy," van der Vorst said this week, and recalled how great and surprising it was to look at herself standing in front of a mirror.

MORE:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/08/us-cycling-pa...