Maya Lindholm facts for kids
Maya Lindholm in Sydney, July 2012
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nationality |  Germany |
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| Born | 20 December 1990 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Wheelchair basketball | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Power forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability class | 2.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Women's team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | Hamburger SV BG Baskets Hamburg |
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| Coached by | Holger Glinicki | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paralympic finals | 2012 Paralympics, 2016 Paralympics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Maya Lindholm (born 20 December 1990) is a talented German wheelchair basketball player. She was a key part of the German national team that won a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. Her team also won a European title in 2011. They were runners-up in 2013 and 2016. For their amazing achievements, the team received Germany's highest sports award, the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf).
Contents
About Maya Lindholm
Maya Lindholm was born in Hamburg, Germany, on 20 December 1990. In 2004, she woke up with severe back pain. Within hours, she could not move her legs. Doctors found she had spinal cord inflammation. This condition affects the spinal cord.
Maya is studying to become an occupational therapist. This job helps people get back skills needed for daily life. She started playing wheelchair basketball for fun in 2005. She played at the hospital where she was getting treatment. By 2009, her skills were so good that she was chosen for the German national team.
Maya's Role in Wheelchair Basketball
In wheelchair basketball, players are given a "point" score based on their physical ability. Maya is a 2.5 point player. This means she has a good amount of movement in her upper body. She plays as a power forward. This position often involves scoring close to the basket. It also means helping with rebounds.
Winning Gold at the Paralympics
Maya was part of the German team that won the European Championships in 2011. This win took place in Nazareth, Israel. It also meant they qualified for the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games in London. To get ready for the Paralympics, the team traveled. They played games in the United States and Australia.
The German team played very well in London. They did not lose any games in the first round. They won tough games against the United States and China. In these games, they often played their best in the final minutes.
The Gold Medal Match
The final game for the gold medal was exciting. The German team played against the Australia women's national wheelchair basketball team. Australia had beaten them just months before. The game was held at the North Greenwich Arena. Over 12,985 fans watched the match. Germany won the game 58–44. This was Germany's first gold medal in women's wheelchair basketball since 1984.
After their big win, the team received special honors. President Joachim Gauck gave them the Silver Laurel Leaf in November 2012. This is Germany's highest award for sports. The team was also named "Team of the Year in Disability Sports" for 2012. Sports journalists in Germany voted for this award.
Club Success and More Medals
Maya also played for her local team, Hamburger SV. This team included other national teammates. In 2013, Hamburger SV won the women's national championship. This was their eighth time winning it. Maya had also helped them win in 2010.
The German national team continued to compete. In 2013, they lost the European Championship final to the Netherlands. This game was played in their home city of Frankfurt. In 2014, they won a silver medal at the 2014 Women's World Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Toronto, Canada. They got their revenge in 2015. They beat the Netherlands to win their tenth European title. At the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, they won another silver medal. They lost the final game to the United States.
Maya's Achievements
Maya Lindholm has achieved many great things in her career:
- 2010: German Women's National League champion (with Hamburg SV)
- 2010: Silver medal at the IWBF World Championships (Birmingham, Great Britain)
- 2011: Gold medal at the European Wheelchair Basketball Championships (Nazareth, Israel)
- 2012: Gold medal at the Paralympic Games (London, England)
- 2013: German Women's National League champion (with Hamburg SV)
- 2013: Silver medal at the European Championships (Frankfurt, Germany)
- 2014: Silver medal at the World Championships (Toronto, Canada)
- 2015: Gold medal at the European Championships (Worcester, England)
- 2016: Silver medal at the Paralympic Games (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
Awards Received
Maya and her team have also received special awards:
- 2012: Team of the Year
- 2012: Silver Laurel Leaf
