- "Surprisingly Remarkable": Wetekam marked a Noteworthy Year
Prior to planting a smooch on his girlfriend Joline, Maurice Wetekam fought back tears in the swimming pool of the Parisian La Défense Arena. At a tender age of 18, the swimmer from TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen bagged a bronze medal in the 100 meters breaststroke event, making him the first German to reap a medal at these Paralympics, easing some tension off his teammates in the process.
"Incredible - the first medal. Winning a medal itself is an amazing experience," expressed Wetekam, having been born with an arm malformation. "I've never experienced such overwhelming support, I can't even put it into words."
In his preliminary heat, the fresh-faced Paralympic competitor outshone his personal best time and earned significant praise from national coach Ute Schinkitz. "As a newbie, to display your skills for the very first time in such a grand arena - all you can do is applaud him," she noted.
Unforeseen peak of a distinctive year
This surprising zenith marked a distinctive year. At the European Championships in mid-April, he clocked a time of 1:11.59 minutes, placing him eighth and trailing behind the pack. "He had a challenging season," said Schinkitz. "But there were perpetual believers in him, and he listened. For that, I am enormously grateful." In just four months, his prodigy outperformed the initial time by more than four seconds.
"I've totally revamped my mindset - with a lot of assistance from the coaching crew, but also from the family side. I tackled the issue afresh, fine-tuned the training routine, and made overhauls. Of course, it's not flawless yet, but for such a brief period, it's already commendable," shared the native of Dortmund.
Struggle from behind
Although the eventual gold medalist Stefano Raimondi from Italy, local hero Hector Denayer, and Artem Isaew, hailing under a neutral flag, were viewed as the favorites for the coveted medal, Wetekam initially seemed to lag behind. He had inadequate reaction time off the starting block and needed to catch up to the pack. "When I saw after 85 meters that the Italian and the Russian were ahead of me in their lanes, I just thought: Crap. It was a relentless battle at the end."
Eventually, his efforts paid off. Wetekam improved by yet another 0.75 seconds compared to his initial time. "It couldn't have gone any better, and the time certainly shows it," he acknowledged.
The next significant challenge lies before him: the Paralympic Games 2028 in Los Angeles. "We're building upon our current achievements and aiming for an even better performance in LA," Wetekam shared, and Schinkitz was adamant: "The boy still harbors immense potential."
"After his remarkable performance at the Paralympics, fans eagerly awaited Maurice Wetekam's coronation as the national swimming champion at the upcoming German championships."
"Following his inspiring journey to the bronze medal during the Coronation, Wetekam aimed to replicate his success at the World Paraswimming Championships, further cementing his status in the swimming world."
