An Olympic champion dedicates their gold medal to their beloved dog who has passed away, saying their world has come to a halt.

After an incredible swim in the River Seine, Dutch Olympic athlete Sharon van Rouwendaal took home the gold medal in the women's marathon swimming event in Paris. As she stood on the podium, the 30-year-old couldn't help but think of her loyal companion, Rio, who had passed away just before the games.

Despite concerns about the cleanliness of the Seine, 24 brave athletes, including Team GB's Leah Crisp, dove into the 6.2 mile race early in the morning. While Crisp finished 20th, Van Rouwendaal powered through with a time of 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds, securing the top spot on the podium. Moesha Johnson from Australia and Ginevra Taddeucci from Italy took home the silver and bronze medals, respectively.

For Van Rouwendaal, this victory was more than just a personal achievement. It was a deeply emotional one, as she revealed in her post-race interview that Rio, her beloved dog and namesake, had passed away shortly before the Paris Olympics. Fighting back tears, she shared, "In May, my little dog died. He needed an operation on his lungs, but unfortunately, he didn't make it."

She went on to explain how she had hoped to come home after the Olympics and spend time with Rio in her house and garden. But his sudden passing had left her heartbroken and unmotivated. However, her father reminded her that she had been away from Rio for seven years due to competitions and encouraged her to dedicate her race to him.

And that's exactly what she did. With a tattoo of Rio's paw on her wrist, Van Rouwendaal swam with all her heart, determined to win the gold for her beloved pup. As she touched the wall and saw her name at the top of the leaderboard, she couldn't help but feel like Rio was there with her, cheering her on.

With this win, Van Rouwendaal not only added another gold medal to her collection but also brought the Netherlands' total gold count to 10, placing them at ninth in the medal table. As for Team GB, they currently hold fifth place with 12 gold medals.

As she proudly stood on the podium, Van Rouwendaal knew that this victory was for more than just herself. It was for her late dog Rio, who had been her faithful companion and source of love and support for so many years. And in that moment, she knew that Rio was smiling down on her.

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