Darko Đurić is a record-setting Slovenian swimmer, a dedicated athlete who is already thinking about the 2016 summer games in Rio de Janeiro. The 24-year-old is the epitome of sporting success – despite being born without legs and with just one arm.

Đurić was given up for adoption by his parents, and was sent off to live in a home for handicapped children. However, he was soon placed with a foster family. He learned to swim during a school trip at the age of ten, and in 2007 he joined a local swim club. His extraordinary talent for the sport surprised everyone – including himself.

After a string of successful performances at world championships, Đurić qualified for the London Paralympic Games, something he had never even imagined. There, he managed to set a world record in the 50 meter butterfly. In fact, he set two world records in his category on the same day – in qualifications and in the final. (He didn’t win a gold medal, however, because swimmers with other, less profound disabilities also competed in the final.) He came home with a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth place in various disciplines.

Not content with his feat, Đurić is not only determined to improve on his own world record, but also to become a medal contender at the 2016 Paralympic Games at Rio de Janeiro. He continues to compete in various international competitions, but also finds the time to take part in various charitable events. He recently visited hospitalized children, with whom he shared his belief that everything in the world is possible if you just try hard enough.