Stevan Krajnjan

Stevan was born in Yugoslavia in 1958 and began playing tennis in local clubs in 1974,winning numerous singles and doubles championships throughout the next 25 years.Stevan played tennis in high school and achieved such titles as Peel Singles andDoubles Champion, as well as Peel-Halton Singles Champion. He was ranked as highas third in Ontario in Class “A” Singles tennis competition. He also won a Peel Singlestitle in Badminton.

For Stevan, the journey to the World Transplant Games began in 1983, when he beganexperiencing reduced kidney function, resulting in him going on dialysis until 1987. In1988 his father Laza donated a kidney and Stevan resumed playing tennis six monthsafter his transplant. Stevan returned to dialysis in 1995 until July 1997, when he receivedthe second kidney transplant, this time donated by his sister Gordana.

In 1990 Stevan joined the Canadian Transplant team and since that time has represented Canada onthe world stage in a variety of racquet events. In 1990 at the United States Transplant Games heldin Indianapolis, Indiana, he won 3 gold medals in tennis, and 1 silver medal in each of table tennis andbadminton. In 1991 at the World Transplant Games in Budapest, Hungary, he won 2 bronze medalsin tennis. At the 1992 United States Transplant Games in Los Angeles, California, Stevan won 3 goldmedals in tennis, table tennis and badminton. At the World Transplant Games in Vancouver, BritishColumbia in 1993, Stevan won the gold medal for singles tennis, the fi rst-ever tennis gold medal forCanada. At the World Transplant Games in Manchester, England in 1995, he won a gold medal indoubles tennis and a silver medal in singles tennis.

Stevan continues to raise awareness about organ donation. Through his competition and successes as atransplant athlete, Stevan hopes to encourage more people to become involved in organ donation.

Stevan attended McMaster University where he played varsity tennis. He received his teaching degreefrom the University of Toronto. Stevan is currently teaching at Robert H. Lagerquist Senior Public School inBrampton. He is currently ranked fourth in Ontario in Singles tennis for his age category.

Inducted November 21, 2000