Skip to main content
17686
Go to International Paralympic Committee homepage Official website of the Paralympic Movement
Contrast:
High Contrast
Normal Contrast
Enlargement:
Larger Font Size
Default Font Size
Smaller Font Size
    • Home
    • Paralympic Games
    • Events & Competitions
    • The IPC
    • Results, Rankings & Records
    • Media centre
    • Sports
    • Classification
    • Videos
    • Athletes
    • Fan Zone
    • NPCs
    • Agitos Foundation
    • Partnerships
    • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
    • Google Plus
    • Instagram

    Media Centre

    • News
    • Blogs
    • Magazine
    • Athlete of Month
    • Media Office
    • Ones to Watch
    • Campaigns
    • Infographics
    • Newsletter
    • Top 50

    Mareike Adermann: Experiences never end

    29.10.2012

    Germany’s Mareike Adermann says that her drive to succeed has not ceased just because she won gold at London 2012.

    Germany women's wheelchair basketball Germany's women's wheelchair basketball team celebrates after defeating the Netherlands in the semi-finals at London 2012. © • Getty Images
    Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker
    Related Images
    Mareike Adermann Mareike Adermann © • Photo courtsey of Mareike Adermann

    One of the slogans of the Paralympics 2012 was “Inspire a generation,” a slogan that I do not take lightly and try to embody every day.

    As this is my first blog for the IPC, I would like to introduce myself to all of you who have never heard of me before.

    I am Mareike Adermann, a wheelchair basketball athlete for the German women’s national team.

    I currently go to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the United States. My most recent experiences were winning a gold medal at the Paralympics and winning the U.S. Intercollegiate National Championships in 2012.

    Many times, I was told that after winning a gold medal, I have achieved the most I can, so I could quit now.

    But I disagree.

    Winning a Paralympic gold medal was a great accomplishment, especially as it is the first for my country in wheelchair basketball in 28 years, but still it is not a reason to quit.

    When I began playing this sport in 2008, I would have never believed I could get to the top of the world this quick, but my determination and love for the sport allowed me to put on a race that led me to this amazing success.

    A success that I want to use to share and make others believe.

    Many young athletes do not understand what it takes to become a great athlete. It is not about talent, it is simply about desire, commitment and beliefs - a fact that many forget or never realize.

    One of the slogans of the Paralympics 2012 was “Inspire a generation,” a slogan that I do not take lightly and try to embody every day.

    Being a gold medalist will not be a personal achievement for me until I look back in 50 years, but until then, it is a task to share my knowledge, experience and fire for my sport with others, especially the next generation.

    One of the ways I have started to follow this task is by being a captain and leader on my team at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

    It is a great challenge to be part of a college team, because every year there are athletes leaving as they graduate from the university and new athletes join the team.

    This is not necessarily a negative thing but it gives me a great opportunity to share my experiences with many young athletes.

    I will now regularly publish blogs to allow you to hear about these and other events that influence Paralympians such as myself.

    • Tweet
      • print
      • send
    LATEST NEWS
    PyeongChang 2018: My Games Experience – The athlete 23.04.2018 PyeongChang 2018: My Games Experience – The athlete
    Colin Judge draws on London 2012 inspiration 23.04.2018 Colin Judge draws on London 2012 inspiration
    Cheongju 2018: Cockbill focuses on finals first 23.04.2018 Cheongju 2018: Cockbill focuses on finals first
    First competition for Silvania Costa de Oliveira as mother 23.04.2018 First competition for Silvania Costa de Oliveira as mother
    Madrid 2018: World Championships drawn 23.04.2018 Madrid 2018: World Championships drawn
    More news...following the link
    Worldwide Paralympic Partners
    Go to Atos partner page
    Go to OttoBock partner page
    Go to Panasonic partner page
    Go to Samsung partner page
    Go to Toyota partner page
    Go to Visa partner page
    International Partners
    Go to Allianz partner page
    Go to BP partner page
    • FAQ
    • Imprint
    • Jobs
    Powered by Go to Atos. Worldwide IPC partner page
    The Paralympic Games
    Summer Games
    Winter Games
    Sochi 2014
    Rio 2016
    All the results & medallist since 1960
    Games video archive
    About the IPC
    Who we are
    Anti-Doping
    Medical
    Partners
    IPC Strategic Plan 2015-2018
    IPC Handbook
    Publications and Documents
    Media Centre
    News
    Features & Interviews
    The Paralympian
    Videos
    Athlete of the Month
    Media Office
    Sports
    Summer Sports
    Winter Sports
    Biographies
    NPCS
    Africa
    America
    Asia
    Europe
    Oceania
    Go to International Paralympic Committee homepage
    Official Website of the Paralympic Movement • IPC
    Homepage
    Paralympic Games
    The IPC
    Results, Ranking & Records
    Media Centre
    Videos
    Sports
    International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
    Adenauerallee 212-214, 53113 Bonn, Germany
    Telephone: +49-228-2097-200 • Fax: +49-228-2097-209 • E-mail: info@paralympic.org
    21:27:49