Ivan Katanusic

Started: He took up the sport in 2010 in Zagreb, Croatia. (Athlete, 07 Sep 2016) Reason: He wanted to prove he could do anything. He initially competed in sitting volleyball, but switched to athletics due to his preference for individual and strength-based sports. (Athlete, 07 Sep 2016; zssi.hr, 01 Jul 2016; in-portal.hr, 08 Dec 2014) Ambition: To win a gold medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (sportske.jutarnji.hr, 17 Jul 2023; direktno.hr, 13 Dec 2021) Awards: In 2023 he was presented with the Franjo Bucar State Award for Sport in Croatia. (radioimotski.hr, 28 Nov 2023) In 2019 he was named Best Male Para Athlete of the Year by the Zagreb Sports Federation for People with Impairments [ZSSI], and he also received a Special Recognition Award for Para athletes in Zagreb. (germanijak.hr, 16 Dec 2019; glasistre.hr, 02 Dec 2019) He was named the 2015 Athlete of the Year by Croatian radio station Radio Imotski. (radioimotski.hr, 04 Apr 2016) Additional Info: SPOUSE He met his wife, Croatian athletics competitor Anamari Kozul, in 2014. His former coach Ivan Ivancic had passed away and he joined Kozul's training group, which was led by coach Roland Varga. "We have love, which is not only ours, intimate to each other, but also love through this wonderful sport." (Facebook profile, 31 Aug 2023, 17 Jan 2021; slobodnadalmacija.hr, 19 Jun 2018) COMPETING WITH NON-PARA ATHLETES He won silver in discus throw at the 2019 Croatian Championships competing against non-Para athletes. "When I compete against non-Para athletes, I have bigger power and motivation. I'm proud of all my medals claimed at national championships when I competed with non-Para athletes." (dalmacijadanas.hr, 10 Aug 2019)

Sporting Relatives: His wife Anamari Kozul has represented Croatia in hammer throw. She competed at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin, Germany. (Facebook profile, 31 Aug 2023; SportsDeskOnline, 08 Apr 2021)