Ismet Godinjak (born 17 March 1973) is a Bosnian

sitting volleyball Sitting volleyball is a form of volleyball for athletes with a disability organized by World ParaVolley. As opposed to standing volleyball, sitting volleyball players must sit on the floor to play. History Sitting volleyball was invented in t ...

player. A member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national sitting volleyball team, he won medals at the

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and

2024 Summer Paralympics The 2024 Summer Paralympics (), also known as the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games (), and branded as Paris 2024, were the 17th Summer Paralympic Games, an international Multi-sport event, multi-sport parasports event governed by the International P ...

Biography

Godinjak was born on 17 March 1973 in

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...

, Yugoslavia. He grew up playing

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Summ ...

, and after the

Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. Following several earlier violent incid ...

, began competing in

as part of his rehabilitation. He was selected for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national sitting volleyball team and debuted for them at the 1995 European Championships in

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. He has been one of the main players for the team since, having competed for the team in 148 matches by 2019, a record he jointly-held with

Dževad Hamzić Dževad Hamzić (born 4 September 1968) is a Bosnian sitting volleyball player. A member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national sitting volleyball team, he won medals at the 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 Summer Paralympics. Biogra ...

, Sabahudin Delalić, and Adnan Manko. Godinjak helped the Bosnian sitting volleyball team to a bronze medal at the European Championships in 1997, which was followed by a gold medal in 1999 and further titles in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2015. After a bronze in 2017, and a silver in 2019, Godinjak helped Bosnia win another title in 2021 and their 11th European Championship in 2023. He also has competed for Bosnia many times at the

World Para Volleyball Championship World Para Volleyball Championship, was played first time at 1983 and organized by World ParaVolley. WOVD World Championships * 2022 Sitting Volleyball World Championships – Men's event * 2022 Sitting Volleyball World Championships – Women ...

, helping them win bronze in 1998, gold in 2002, 2006, and 2014, and silver in 2010, 2018, and 2022. Godinjak has competed for Bosnia at every

Summer Paralympics The Summer Paralympics, also known as the Games of the Paralympiad, are an international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and cerebr ...

since 2000, contributing to their gold medals in 2004 and 2012, silver medals in 2000, 2008, 2016, and 2024, and a bronze medal in 2020. From 2000 to 2016, Bosnia reached the finals at every Paralympics, and Godinjak is one of five Bosnians – along with Manko, Hamzić, Delalić, and

Asim Medić Asim Medić (born 3 August 1969) is a Bosnian sitting volleyball player. A member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national sitting volleyball team, he won medals at the 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 Summer Paralympics. Biography Me ...

– to have won seven career Paralympic medals. On a club level, Godinjak competes for OKI Fantomi, which he co-founded and serves as president for. His club is among the most successful in Bosnia, having won a number of national championships and their seventh-consecutive European Championship in 2024. Godinjak was named the male disabled athlete of the year in Bosnia in 2007 and 2011. He was given the Recognition Award from World ParaVolley in 2020, given for "the recipient's significant contribution towards and development of sitting volleyball." He was named the Best Male Libero at the 2021 and 2023 European Championships, and in 2024, he was honored by the

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with the title of Top Athlete of the International Class of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Godinjak has two sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Godinjak, Ismet 1968 births Living people Bosnia and Herzegovina men's sitting volleyball players Volleyball players at the 2004 Summer Paralympics Volleyball players at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Volleyball players at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Volleyball players at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Volleyball players at the 2020 Summer Paralympics Volleyball players at the 2024 Summer Paralympics Paralympic volleyball players for Bosnia and Herzegovina Medalists at the 2004 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2012 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2020 Summer Paralympics Medalists at the 2024 Summer Paralympics Paralympic medalists in volleyball Paralympic gold medalists for Bosnia and Herzegovina Paralympic silver medalists for Bosnia and Herzegovina Paralympic bronze medalists for Bosnia and Herzegovina 20th-century Bosnia and Herzegovina sportsmen 21st-century Bosnia and Herzegovina sportsmen