Ivan Mikulic

Started: He took up the sport at age six. (paralympic.org, 17 Aug 2024) Reason: "I enrolled in taekwondo on a friend's proposal early in elementary school. Watching the famous action movies of Chuck Norris, Jean-Claude Van Damme and especially Bruce Lee, I loved martial arts. When asked by a friend if I wanted to try to learn some moves I didn't even ask what sport it was, I just loved taekwondo." (doktorehitno.com, 21 May 2020) Ambition: To win gold at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (sport.hrt.hr, 24 Aug 2023) Milestones: He became the first athlete representing Croatia to win a medal in taekwondo at the Paralympic Games when he claimed silver in the +75kg category at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 11 Apr 2024; Paraolimpijac Facebook page, 04 Sep 2021) Awards: He was awarded the Charter of the Republic of Croatia in 2023. (Parasportski Savez Grada Splita Facebook page, 05 Oct 2023) He was named Male Para Athlete of the Year for 2021 by the Croatian Paralympic Committee [HPO]. (hpo.hr, 04 Feb 2022) He was flag bearer for Croatia at the closing ceremony of the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. (hpo.hr, 05 Sep 2021) In 2017 he was named Best Athlete with an Impairment by the Split Sports Federation in Croatia. (ssist.hr, 07 Mar 2018)