Tamas Gaspar

Started: He tried the sport at age 14 in 1993 in Stoke Mandeville, England. (Athlete, 27 Aug 2024) Reason: He was encouraged to visit the SportsAble charity in Maidenhead, England. He initially tried wheelchair basketball, but stopped after he injured his finger. After trying Para swimming and Para shooting to help combat the isolation he felt during his stay in hospital, he began Para archery. (sportsable.co.uk, 01 Jan 2021) Ambition: To win a gold medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (sportime.hu, 07 Dec 2023) Awards: He and swimmer Fanni Illes were Hungary's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (medias.paris2024.org, 28 Aug 2024) In 2019 he was named Para Athlete of the Year by the Hungarian Archery Association [MIS]. (Magyar Paralimpiai Csapat Facebook page, 04 Dec 2019) Additional Info: DUAL CITIZENSHIP He holds both Hungarian and British citizenship. "As a dual Hungarian-English citizen, I chose Hungary in order to popularise this excellent physiotherapy outdoor sport among the disabled in my native country." (sportime.hu, 07 Dec 2023; Magyar Paralimpiai Csapat Facebook page, 04 Dec 2019) JOURNEY TO PARA SPORT He first tried non-Para archery in high school before taking up Para archery after he completed his studies. "I started archery [non-Para] in high school in 1993. I did other sports like swimming, running and cycling, but my success in archery competitions far exceeded the others. Because of college, sports took a back seat and so did competitions." After developing paralysis from the chest down due to spinal myelitis in 2013, he decided to take up Para sport. "I luckily managed to get into the Stoke Mandeville rehabilitation centre in Aylesbury [England], where the Paralympic Games started. They taught me to live with my limited mobility, and I also had the opportunity to try a wide variety of sports. In 2015, I became an active member of the SportsAble foundation, where we went to wheelchair basketball and archery competitions, but swimming, table tennis, boccia and air rifle shooting also helped a lot to lead a social life again. I achieved the most results in archery here as well, and I set my goal to participate in the Paralympics." (sportime.hu, 07 Dec 2023) OTHER ACTIVITIES He has worked as a volunteer with the Slough Foodbank Foundation in England. (sportime.hu, 07 Dec 2023; Facebook profile, 08 Feb 2023)