Elevate October 2024 | Air Serbia

Bronzani / Bronze Mitar Palikuća

ON JE 2001. GODINE U SAOBRAĆAJNOJ NEZGODI POVREDIO KIČMU i od tada je u kolicima. Međutim, ljubav prema sportu odmalena, oslo- nac u porodici i uspesi koje je postizao davali su mu snagu da nastavi dalje. Danas je Mi- tar uzdanica stonoteniske re- prezentacije Srbije u konkuren- ciji sportista sa invaliditetom i osvajač brojnih medalja, među kojima je i najnovija – bronza- na medalja u Parizu. – Moram biti zadovoljan, treće Paraolimpijske igre, dru- ga medalja. Put je vodio kroz duge i teške kvalifikacije i vr- lo sam srećan što sam se naj- pre kvalifikovao u Pariz, a po- tom stigao do odličja – rekao je Mitar Palikuća.

HE INJURED HIS SPINE IN A 2001 MOTOR accident and has since been confined to a wheelchair. However, a lifelong love for sports, family support and the successes he’s achieved have given him the strength to continue. Mitar is today a stal- wart of Serbia’s disabled table tennis team and a winner of numerous medals, including his latest one – a bronze med- al from Paris. “I have to be satisfied – my third Paralympic Games and my second medal. The jour- ney led me through long and difficult qualifications and I’m very happy, firstly to have qual- ified for Paris, and then to have reached the medals,” said Mi- tar Palikuća.

Bronzani / Bronze Željko Dimitrijević

DOŠAO JE DO ČETVRTOG PARAOLIMPIJSKOG ODLIČJA posle dva zlata i srebra iz Londo- na, Rija i Tokija. Bronza u Pari- zu. Odrastao u siromaštvu, bez roditelja, taman kada je trebalo da se osamostali, doživeo je teš- ku nesreću prilikom skoka u reku Mlavu. Bilo mu je svega 19 go- dina. Ali je zato ovog leta u Pa- rizu rezultatom 34,18 metara u bacanju čunja uspeo da dođe do svoje treće olimpijske medalje, pošto je bio najbolji u Londonu 2012. i Riju 2016. godine.

HE HAS WON HIS FOURTH PARALYMPIC MEDAL. FOLLOW- ING two golds and a silver won in London, Rio and Tokyo, he earned bronze in Paris. Željko grew up in poverty, orphaned, only to suffer a serious injury while jumping into the river Mlava just as he was due to be- come independent. He was aged only 19 at the time. However, he this sum- mer managed to win his third Olym- pic medal in the club throw in Paris, with a result of 34.18 metres, after previously proving to be the best in London in 2012 and in Rio in 2016.

Sports » Sport | 109

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