Liz hartel biography

Danish equestrian who, though paralyzed, became a two-time Olympic silver medalist in individual dressage. Name variations: Lis Hartel-Holst; Liz Hartel. Born in Denmark on March 14, ; married with children.

Won the Olympic silver medal for individual dressage on Jubille at Helsinki () and Melbourne ().

Lis Hartel was 23, pregnant, and one of Denmark's leading dressage riders when she was stricken with polio in Though almost completely paralyzed, she was determined to continue her career and began a long, painful rehabilitation while still pregnant, first relearning how to lift her arms, then concentrating on her thigh muscles.

After giving birth to a healthy daughter, Hartel persevered, regaining enough use of her legs to walk haltingly with crutches.

Liz hartel biography wikipedia

Then she began riding again. Her initial outing with a horse left her so exhausted, however, that it took two more weeks for her to regain enough strength to try once more. In , she entered the Scandinavian R