Anders Olsson (swimmer)
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men’s swimming | ||
Representing  Sweden
| ||
| Paralympic Games | ||
 |
2004 Athen | 400 m Freestyle - S6 |
|
2008 Beijing | 100 m Freestyle - S6 |
|
2008 Beijing | 400 m Freestyle - S6 |
 |
2004 Athen | 100 m Freestyle - S6 |
|
2004 Athen | 50 m Freestyle - S6 |
| World Championships | ||
|
2006 Durban | 400 m Freestyle - S6 |
|
2006 Durban | 100 m Freestyle - S6 |
 |
2006 Durban | 50 m Freestyle - S6 |
Anders Olsson (born September 15, 1965 in Hagfors) is a Swedish swimmer and triathlete.
Olsson is paralysed from the waist down and have barely 50 per cent lung capacity left after the injury.[1]
Career
Anders Olsson began to swim at an early age and he was very promessing. But in his early teens Olsson started to have problems with his back. It was a faulty vertebra that caused him pain. For a long time he was able to keep up with his athletic life but after a couple of years he had to undergo an arthrodesis operation. Due to an accident in the home he fell so bad that he tore up several muscles in his back. This led to other complications. He was to undergo a stomach surgery and becaus of a failure during the spinal anasthesia he had to be treated in a medical ventilator and this finally led to him being paralysed from the waist down.
For several years Olsson was apathetic and even got dependent on drugs, such as morphine, and other painkillers. But, in 2002, when a close friend made a bet with him that he should swim the vansbrosimmet his life took a turn to the better. He started to train and when he crossed the finish line he was in the top 100's out of over 3000 competitors. This is a result he has later improved as he in 2007 came ninth.
In 2004 he competed in the Paralympics in Athens where he won one gold and two bronze. His favorite event is the 400m freestyle, a distance he is undefeated at and where he is the current world record holder.
In 2005 he took on another challenge and managed to complete the 90 km long Vasaloppet.
In 2008 he competed in the Paralympics in Beijing where he won another two gold (100m & 400m frestyle).