Már Gunnarsson

Már Gunnarsson (; born 19 November 1999) is an Icelandic Paralympic swimmer and musician. He competes internationally in para swimming in the S11 classification for athletes with severe visual impairments.

Early life and education Gunnarsson was born in Reykjavík, Iceland with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), resulting in severe visual impairment from birth. At six, his family moved to Luxembourg, where he began classical piano studies under Russian pianist Dina Ziatdinova. Around the age of twelve, he returned to Iceland and started competitive swimming at the local ÍRB club in Reykjanesbær.

In 2022, Gunnarsson moved to Manchester, England, where he currently resides, to study piano and composition at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). His studies coincide with his training at the Manchester Aquatics Centre, located near the RNCM campus.

Prior to the Tokyo Paralympics, Gunnarsson set a world record in the 200 m backstroke S11, an event not contested at the Paralympic Games. At the 2020 Summer Paralympics, he competed in four events: 100 m backstroke S11, 200 m individual medley SM11, 100 m butterfly S11, and 50 m freestyle S11. His highest placement was fifth in the 100 m backstroke S11 final.

Following Tokyo, Gunnarsson initially announced a retirement from swimming due to burnout but later returned with a revised training approach—narrowing his focus to backstroke events while reducing training volume to balance with his music studies.

At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Gunnarsson competed solely in the 100 m backstroke S11, reaching the final and placing seventh while setting a new Icelandic national record. At the Games, he was selected as one of Iceland's flag bearers for the 2024 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony alongside fellow swimmer Sonja Sigurðardóttir.

In 2024, for the Paris Paralympics, he recorded and released the orchestral piece "Spirit in Motion", titled after the Paralympic motto. The piece was recorded with a symphony orchestra in Manchester and was inspired by his experiences as an athlete.

Advocacy and personal life Gunnarsson has advocated for improved accessibility, particularly regarding international travel with service animals. After encountering bureaucratic difficulties when travelling between the UK and Iceland with his guide dog Max due to post‑Brexit regulations, he spoke publicly about these challenges to raise awareness.

He is openly gay, having come out publicly after the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

Domestically, Gunnarsson has been recognised for his achievements by being named Icelandic Athlete of the Year among athletes with disabilities (Íþróttamaður fatlaðra) in both 2019 and 2021.