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Biography
Impairment information
Type of Impairment
Spinal Cord Injuries
Origin of Impairment
Acquired
Classification
LW10.5
Further personal information
Family
Wife Maria, daughters Eme and Eve
Residence
Bjelovar, CRO
Languages
Croatian
Sport specific information
When and where did you begin this sport?
He began Para cross-county skiing in 2016.
Why this sport?
"When I heard about Nordic skiing, I decided to go to training and I was sure that I would excel. However, I came to the track and after 50 metres I couldn't go any further, and then I got terribly injured. It awakened in me an even greater desire to succeed and to show that I can really do whatever I want, no matter how big the obstacles."
Club / Team
Sokol Bjelovar: Croatia
Name of coach
Josip Stefanac [national]
International debut
Year
2017
Competing for
Croatia
Tournament
World Cup
Location
Ukraine
General interest
Nicknames
Pepo (Facebook profile, 10 Dec 2018)
Memorable sporting achievement
Qualifying for the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. (Athlete, 08 Mar 2018)
Most influential person in career
His family. (Athlete, 08 Mar 2018; in-portal.hr, 12 Feb 2018)
Hero / Idol
Italian footballer Gianluigi Buffon. (Athlete, 08 Mar 2018)
Other sports
He has competed in Para athletics at national level in Croatia. (hasosi.hr, 03 Jul 2015)
Impairment
He fell from a balcony in 2006, which resulted in a fractured spine in four places and damage to his spinal cord. (24sata.hr, 14 Mar 2018; Athlete, 08 Mar 2018; in-portal.hr, 10 Dec 2014)
Other information
EQUIPMENT ISSUES
Upon arrival at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, he discovered that his team had sent him with a sit-ski that had previously belonged to a female athlete and was too small for him to race with. It took five technicians at the repair shop about eight hours to take the device apart and create an entirely new one that he could compete in. (nypost.com, 15 Mar 2018; dailyherald.com, 15 Mar 2018)
Upon arrival at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, he discovered that his team had sent him with a sit-ski that had previously belonged to a female athlete and was too small for him to race with. It took five technicians at the repair shop about eight hours to take the device apart and create an entirely new one that he could compete in. (nypost.com, 15 Mar 2018; dailyherald.com, 15 Mar 2018)
Results
| Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|
| Event | Medal | Unit | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's 1.1km Sprint Sitting | Final | 2018-03-14 | 35 | |
| Men's 7.5km Sitting | Final | 2018-03-17 | 9999 |