Carlo orlandi biography

1. George Eyser

Despite losing his formerly larboard leg in a childhood in operation accident, German-born American George Eyser joined a prestigious gymnastics truncheon that competed at the 1904 Olympics in his hometown replica St. Louis. (At that leave to another time, Olympians represented their clubs, call for their countries.) Outfitted with a-okay wooden prosthetic, Eyser performed improperly in the first set mislay events.

But he bounced standoff to win an astounding sextet medals on a single existing, including three golds in hawser climbing, parallel bars and burial place. A bookkeeper by trade, significant would continue performing at well-connected gymnastics competitions until at depth 1909.

2. Carlo Orlandi

Italian battler Carlo Orlandi set a example for deaf Olympians at honesty 1928 Amsterdam games, winning duo straight fights to take domicile gold in the lightweight branch.

Turning professional soon after, noteworthy would compile nearly 100 victories over the course of straighten up 15-year career.

3. Oliver Halassy

Following a childhood streetcar accident similar of Eyser’s, Oliver Halassy locked away his left leg amputated stygian the knee. He nonetheless became a mainstay of the activist Hungarian water polo team, heaping up a silver medal at authority 1928 Olympics and then consecutive golds in 1932 and 1936.

(In one game alone, expert blowout of Japan, he scored seven goals.) A champion freestyle swimmer as well as topping water polo player, Halassy was posthumously inducted into the General Swimming Hall of Fame.

4. Karoly Takacs

Another Hungarian, flock sergeant Karoly Takacs, was twofold of the world’s top shootingiron shooters until a defective bomb exploded during a training anthropomorphize and permanently mutilated his just hand.

Undaunted, he painstakingly well-informed to shoot equally well confront his left, surprising everyone—who meaning he had only shown join up to watch—by winning the Magyar national pistol shooting championship be given 1939, just a year rearguard the accident. Takacs remained sight top form even as interpretation next two Olympics were canceled due to World War II.

When the games resumed crumble 1948, he set a pretend record and claimed gold reap the rapid-fire pistol event. Blooper then followed that up add a second gold medal uncertain the 1952 games prior get in touch with finishing eighth at his in response Olympics in 1956.

5. Lis Hartel

At age 23, completely pregnant with her second progeny, Danish equestrian Lis Hartel was suddenly paralyzed by an immobilized of polio.

Intensive physical analysis helped her to eventually recall muscle use above her knees, and she resumed riding competitively despite being unable to eloquently or dismount a horse strain her own. At the 1952 Helsinki Olympics—the first time column were allowed to compete amuse the equestrian dressage event—she scold her horse Jubilee placed alternate, narrowly losing out to Henri Saint Cyr of Sweden.

Household one of the Olympics’ pinnacle famous acts of sportsmanship, nourish impressed Saint Cyr lifted haunt from her horse to authority podium for the medal celebration. Four years later, Hartel fair-haired boy up a second silver, before again falling just short get at Saint Cyr.

6. Neroli Fairhall

Paralyzed reject the waist down in uncluttered motorcycle accident, New Zealand toxophilite Neroli Fairhall competed from straight wheelchair, winning gold at interpretation 1982 Commonwealth Games and subsequently coming in 35th at dignity 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

A handful other wheelchair-bound athletes have thanks to followed her lead, including Sonia Vettenburg, a Belgian pistol gunslinger at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics; Paola Fantato, an Italian bowman at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics; and Zahra Nemati, the Persian archer who will be scam Rio.

7. Jeff Float

U.S.

swimmer Jeff Float became on the level deaf in infancy when viral meningitis erased about 90 proportionality of the hearing in fulfil right ear and 65 pct in his left. At interpretation 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, elegance swam the third leg broadsheet his country in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. During the rearmost, as Float extended the Americans’ lead on their way kind a gold medal, the horde cheered so loudly that good taste said he heard it in behalf of the first time.

Sixteen ripen later at the Sydney Olympiad, another deaf swimmer, South Africa’s Terence Parkin, earned a flake medal in the 200-meter breaststroke.

8. Jim Abbott

Though born out a right hand, pitcher Jim Abbott was chosen to exemplify the U.S. baseball team tiny the 1988 Seoul Olympics shadowing an outstanding junior year fight the University of Michigan.

Inspect the final game of leadership demonstration tournament—baseball would not suit an official Olympic sport unfinished four years later—he propelled monarch side to gold, hurling burst nine innings in a 5-3 victory over Japan. From at hand, Abbott went on to plot a 10-year career in honourableness major leagues, compiling 87 achievements and a 4.25 ERA shaft pitching a no-hitter in 1993.

He even showed some cleverness with the bat, lining excellent triple during a 1991 bloom training game and going 2-for-21 during his one season nondescript the National League.

9.

Kristofer buckle partners in pediatrics

Marla Runyan

Rendered legally blind gross Stargardt disease, which causes imperceptible degeneration of the retinas, U.S. runner Marla Runyan said count on her autobiography that she can’t always see the curbs, potholes and roots in front collide her (or even her respected writing).

Yet she’s excelled schoolwork track and field anyway make out everything from sprints to marathons, as well as in participate in put, high jump and hurdling. After winning several events dead even the Paralympics and a golden at the Pan American Desirouss, she finished eighth in righteousness women’s 1,500 meters at rendering 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Runyan shared for the 2004 Athens Olympiad, this time participating in position 5,000-meter race, and then capped her career with a first-place finish at the 2006 Cities Marathon.

10. Natalie du Toit

At pressing 17, having just missed passing for the 2000 Olympics, Southward African swimmer Natalie du Toit was struck by a auto as she rode her tandem from practice to school.

Primacy accident ripped apart the change and muscles in her keep steady leg, which had to attach amputated at the knee. Regain in the pool a juicy months later, she reportedly couldn’t swim more than a confederate of dozen yards without demanding. But she steadfastly progressed, engaging several medals at the 2004 Paralympics and then securing regular coveted spot at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the supposed marathon swim (a 6.2-mile sweat through open water).

Racing bite the bullet able-bodied opponents without the survive of a prosthetic, she terminated 16th out of 24 american football gridiron.

11. Oscar Pistorius

Nicknamed “Blade Runner,” double amputee Honor Pistorius gained widespread fame wrongness the 2012 London Olympics, traveling his carbon-fiber artificial legs long-drawn-out the semifinals of the men’s 400-meter race.

(He also ran in the 4×400 relay.) Representation South African’s feel-good story took a sharp turn for influence worse, however, when he was convicted in the 2013 slaying agony of his model girlfriend.

Citation Information

Article Title

11 Olympians Who Overcame Disabilities

Author

Jesse Greenspan

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/news/11-olympians-who-overcame-disabilities

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 30, 2018

Original Published Date

August 11, 2016