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Rim Ju-song was the secretive state's first ever Paralympian, contesting the men’s freestyle swimming at London 2012.

Mr Rim — who does not have a left arm or leg — had never swam before, so when he was picked in April that year, he began months of intensive training.

But it was not enough and the teen swimmer finished last in his heat, completing the 50m nearly 14 seconds behind the next-slowest man.

(Image: GETTY)

Now, speaking exclusively to Daily Star Online, his handler has revealed what became of the brave athlete after he left London.

Sue Kinsler said Ju-song went back to his studies in the Chinese capital, Beijing, and eventually returned to North Korea.

But a year ago he got into an accident and tragically broke his neck, she said, putting an end to his swimming career.

Though the nature of the accident remains unclear, the resulting injury appears to have changed his life forever.

Mrs Kinsler, a US-based South Korean who supported Mr Rim's Paralympic dreams, said he was still receiving treatment.

She said: "I think almost a year ago, or maybe a little later, he had an accident and broke his neck. He can't swim anymore.

"I heard that he wanted to do more studying but the injury really hurt him since he could no longer work normally.

"He had to wear a brace and an artificial limb. From what I understand he is still getting medical treatment."

Mrs Kinsler, who's worked with disabled people for 39 years, said Mr Rim was allowed to compete as a wild-card contender.

She continued: "It was almost a miracle that he got in because he was a wild card pick. When he first came to Beijing he had never swum before.

"He had the courage to practice for more than 50 days before going to the qualifiers in Germany to do the butterfly stroke and freestyle."

She said that when they last spoke, Mr Rim talked of his desire to get involved in the Paralympic programme some other way.

(Image: DAILY STAR)

North Korea has been accused of human rights abuses against disabled people and even of murdering them at birth.

It’s claimed that they’re kept in North Korea’s camp system, away from the showpiece capital, Pyongyang.

Against this backdrop, the hermit kingdom’s first participation in the Paralympics was encouraging.

Yet this year’s Olympics were rife with speculation about what fate awaited the North’s athletes.

(Image: GETTY) (Image: FCO)

Weightlifter Kuk Hyang Kim sobbed on the podium after getting silver, fuelling fears she would be punished.

While one defector claimed to have seen a player from North Korea’s 1966 World Cup squad imprisoned in a gulag.

Nonetheless, Mrs Kinsler said this year’s Paralympic delegation had a blast at the games and enjoyed tours of Rio de Janeiro.

However, athletes Song Kum-jong and Kim Cheol-ung failed to secure medals for North Korea, despite high hopes.