From chemo patient to marathon glory

By Martin Petty

BEIJING (Reuters) - Maarten van der Weijden, who was given only a slim chance of survival after being diagnosed with leukaemia, won one of the most gruelling Olympic events on Thursday when he took gold in the men's 10km open water marathon.

The Dutch swimmer discovered he had leukaemia in 2001 but pulled through after a stem cell transplant and chemotherapy and returned to the water two years later.

He added the Olympic title to his 25km world crown when he won a thrilling sprint finish in the inaugural 10km men's race after a stroke-for-stroke tussle which lasted nearly two hours.

"That makes it extra special," Van der Weijden said when asked about his recovery from cancer which he said had helped prepare him for Thursday's surge for victory.

"It proves that even after such an illness you can win gold."

With the end in sight, Van der Weijden pulled out from the three-way dogfight and charged past Briton David Davies to win in one hour 51 minutes 51 seconds.

Davies, who led for most of the race, had streaked two body lengths clear in the last 400 metres and looked certain to win but he had no answer to the 27-year-old Dutchman's stunning sprint finish.

Competing in only his third open water race, Davies was two seconds behind the winner, with German Thomas Lurz taking bronze.