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Paralympian Mar Gunnarsson sets personal record before embarking on a concert tour
Mart Gunnarsson is an inspiration in and out of the pool!
Mar Gunnarsson is a busy man.
The out Icelandic swimmer just competed in his second Paralympics in Paris, and now he’s readying himself for a concert tour throughout the U.K. And the best part is, he’s achieving his dreams as his true self.
Gunnarsson posted a personal best Sunday in the 100-meter backstroke S11 event, setting an Icelandic record along the way. Though he finished seventh in the event, the moment was gratifying.
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“Today I swam the fastest I’ve ever swam in my life, which so happened to break the Icelandic record and delivered me seventh place in the final,” he posted Monday on Instagram. “Having already quit swimming, started again, moved alone to a new country, started a university degree. I am proud to be once more among the best.”
Gunnarsson finished fifth in the 100-meter backstroke S11 event in Tokyo, his Paralympic debut. Shortly thereafter, he mentioned in a TV interview that he’s gay. The support he received from his fellow countrymen was immediate.
“Three years ago, while I was competing in Tokyo, I casually mentioned in a television interview that I am gay. This immediately became breaking news and changed my life,” he wrote on social media, prior to his race Sunday.
“The reaction from the Icelandic nation was incredible, with so many beautiful comments on social media and private messages from people showing me support. Of course, a few nasty comments came along; however, this interview taught me that I can be confident in who I am and that I will never play a hiding game to suit someone else.”
Never one to let the homophobes derail him, Gunnarsson’s mother put it best: “Homophobic people are usually a collection of unattractive straight individuals who no one wants to share a bed with.”
Truer words have never been spoken!
Born with a genetic sight disorder called Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), Gunnarsson competes in the S11 classification, for swimmers with low vision. His guide dog, Max, helps him navigate the world.
But in the pool, he is on his own, not that he needs any help. He won bronze at the World Para Swimming Championships in London in 2019 and holds various national medals.
Already an accomplished athlete, Gunnarsson says coming out has provided him with a new, widespread base of support. He told Outsports he attended the Reykjavik Pride festival this summer, where 100,000 people attended. Iceland’s whole population, by the way, is 382,003. That means more than one-quarter of the country’s year-round population attended the rainbow-studded event.
“I’d say that we’re one of the best for people to live in if they want equal opportunity,” he said. “I just wish that more countries had the same attitude.”
Related: Gay athlete who will compete at Paralympics is also an acclaimed singer-songwriter
In addition to swimming, Gunnarsson is an acclaimed musician. He now lives in Manchester, U.K., where he studies at a leading conservatory.
Prior to the Paralympics in Paris, the 24-year-old singer-songwriter released a single about sportsmanship, “Spirit in Motion.” He told Outsports he hopes the song’s lyrics resonate with “athletes around the world.”
As one of only four out gay male athletes at the Paris Paralympics (there are 42 out athletes total, according to Outsports), Gunnarsson’s presence alone is an inspiration. He says one of his formative goals is bridging the gap between Olympians and Paralympians.
Music has always been one way to bring people together.
“All of us are top athletes going through the same things, but there’s no engagement between the two of us. We could learn so much from each other and we’d be so much stronger for it,” he said. “I’m hoping that the song will help with bridging that gap, or just open up the dialogue.”
With a hit single and record time, Gunnarsson has made an impact. The dialogue is open, and it will continue as he starts his concert tour through the U.K. this fall.
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