Malda Baumgartė

Personal information
Born	(1965-01-07) 7 January 1965 Ventspils, Latvia
Sport
Country	Lithuania
Sport	Paralympic athletics
Disability	Incomplete spinal cord injury
Disability class	F44
Medal record Paralympic athletics Representing  Lithuania Paralympic Games 1996 Atlanta Discus throw F41 1996 Atlanta Shot put F41 1992 Barcelona Pentathlon PW3-4 World Championships 1998 Birmingham Javelin throw F44 1998 Birmingham Discus throw F44/46 2002 Villeneuve d'Ascq Javelin throw F42-46

Malda Baumgartė (born 7 January 1965) is a Latvian-born Lithuanian retired paralympic athlete who competed at international track and field competitions, she competed in discus throw, javelin throw, shot put and formerly pentathlon. She is a double Paralympic champion and a world champion in her disciplines. She is also a former sitting volleyball player.^[1][2]

Stabbing

On Christmas Eve, Baumgartė went to walk home after finishing her work shift late at night. She decided to take a shortcut rather than taking her normal route back to her house, a man jumped out of some bushes nearby and stabbed Baumgartė in her back twice. She was spotted lying on the snow in her blood by a passerby hours later. Doctors managed to reconnect the nerves in her spine and was hoped that she would be able to walk again; she required the use of a wheelchair for three to four months. The man who stabbed Baumgartė was sentenced to eight years in jail. She decided to move to Lithuania and gained Lithuanian citizenship in a short space of time.^[3]

References