Overview

• Elena Semechin, a two-time Paralympic gold medalist, has lost one sponsor and had another suspend funding due to her pregnancy.
• The 31-year-old swimmer, who is four months pregnant, publicly announced her pregnancy in late March 2025.
• Semechin has overcome significant health challenges, including a brain tumor diagnosis in 2021 and progressive vision loss from Stargardt disease.
• She plans to resume elite competition after giving birth, with her sights set on the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles.
• Semechin has called for greater financial and childcare support for expectant and new mothers in sports, highlighting systemic gaps in athlete support.