Kristina Vogel

Kristina Vogel was a German track cyclist whose career saw great achievements, but was marred by serious injuries. In 2007-08 Vogel competed at the World Junior Championships and won six titles, showing great promise. However, in April 2009, while training, she collided with a minibus near her home in Erfurt, and sustained significant injuries, which required her to be placed in an artificial coma until she could recover.

Vogel returned in 2010 and competed at the World Championships, although she did not medal. She twice appeared at the Olympic Games, winning gold medals in the 2012 team sprint, and the 2016 match sprint, adding a bronze medal in the 2016 team sprint. She became the dominant track sprinter of her era, winning 11 gold medals and 16 medals at the World Championships between 2011-18. She also won three gold medals at the European Championships. Through all this, Vogel also worked as a part-time police officer.

In June 2018, Vogel collided with another cyclist while training on the Cottbus velodrome. Unfortunately this led to a spinal injury from which she would not fully recover. In September 2018, she announced on social media that she would remain a paraplegic and would never walk again.