Imke Glas

Imke Glas (born August 30, 1994) is a Dutch artistic gymnast.

Personal life

Glas was born on August 30, 1994, in Broek op Langedijk, Netherlands. She lives with both of her parents and two siblings.

Junior career

Glas began gymnastics at the age of three when her parents decided to take her to the local gym, BSV / ODIS. Glas was one of the most promising junior elite gymnast for the Dutch Junior National Team and was well on her way to competing at the 2008 European Junior Gymnastic Championships. However, that promising future was all threatened at the young age of thirteen.

The Accident

On October 26, 2007 Glas was severely injured in an accident on vault. While in training, Glas was performing a round-off half-on, or Yurchenko type vault, when her hands missed the vault table and she fell on her head. She severely damaged her sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae, therefore warranting extensive surgery. She had to endure six hours of surgery where neurosurgeons took a piece of her hip bone and placed it in her neck for stabilization. After surgery Glas and her family were told that she would never walk again, but Glas made a full recovery.