Olympic Gold Medalist Dedicates Win to Dead Pet Dog

On Aug. 8, Dutch swimmer Sharon van Rouwendaal beat her opponents to take home the gold medal for the Olympic women’s marathon swimming event, dedicating the win to her late dog Rio. After leaving the River Seine, the Olympic gold medalist pointed to the tattoo on her wrist, the beloved pet’s paw print, kissing the same.

Dutch swimmer Sharon van Rouwendaal shares heartbreaking story of beloved dog Rio

On Thursday, the Dutch swimmer overtook Moesha Johnson as they neared the finish line, ranking first for the marathon swim at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 . Sharon van Rouwendaal has made history with this win, becoming the first-ever athlete to reclaim the Olympic gold medalist title for the marathon swim. However, the swimmer’s Olympic win was all the more special, as she dedicated her medal to her late dog Rio.

Rio was to turn eight years old in June. The Dutch swimmer named her dog after her thrilling win at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Unfortunately, the canine passed away in May from some health complications after surgery. There were risks, but Sharon van Rouwendaal decided to proceed with the procedure to ensure Rio was happy and healthy.

The operation went well, but sadly, the pup developed a fever soon after. The following morning, he showed signs of getting better. However, in an Instagram post , the Olympic gold medalist noted her dog passed away on her mother’s lap while they were on their way to the vet. After much effort from medical professionals to start Rio’s heart, the family had to say their goodbyes to the beloved pet.

He died a few months before the Olympic Games Paris 2024, with Sharon van Rouwendaal admitting it took her some time to bounce back from the loss of her dog. According to BBC , she said, “I didn’t care about swimming for three weeks, he was my little baby.” She got Rio’s paw print tattooed soon after he passed away. Her Paris Olympics win was the perfect way to commemorate his death, with the Dutch swimmer kissing her precious tattoo to celebrate it.

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