When Laslo Šuranji won the gold medal in shooting at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Brazil, it became clear that his perseverance, determination, and inner strength had truly paid off.
Born on November 6, 1978, Šuranji received his education in Novi Bečej and Zrenjanin. From an early age, he was passionate about sports and actively participated in table tennis, bowling, water polo, and weightlifting. However, in 1996, just before entering his senior year of high school, his life changed drastically — during a summer vacation, a diving accident caused a severe spinal injury.
After a long and challenging rehabilitation, he regained movement in his upper limbs and decided to return to sports — this time to shooting. What began as a recreational activity soon became his life’s calling. Through dedication and consistent training, Laslo made his debut for the Serbian national team in 2005 and quickly began to achieve remarkable results.
He became a multiple overall winner of the League for Athletes with Disabilities and, in 2013, the European Champion in the Air Rifle – Standing Position discipline. His first Paralympic appearance was in 2012, and in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, he won the gold medal in the Small-Bore Rifle – Three Positions event. He also qualified for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
Laslo Šuranji is the current national and international record holder in several disciplines and a recipient of numerous sports awards and honors. In his hometown of Novi Bečej, a park bearing his name was planted in his honor.
For Laslo, sport became a path to overcome hardship and rebuild his life through strength, discipline, and faith in himself. Every morning, he wakes up with the same conviction — that he is a winner, not only in sport but in life itself.
Comments