Israel's Paralympic athletes 2012

Israel at the London Paralympic Games

  •   One gold, two silver and five bronze medals
  • 9/12/2012
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    The 25 athletes representing Israel in the London Paralympics competed in nine sports: Road Cycling, Rowing, Sailing, Wheelchair Tennis, Table Tennis, Shooting, Swimming, Equestrian and Athletics.
    Israel debuted at the inaugural Games in 1960 in Rome, winning a total of 364 medals prior to the London games.
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    Noam Gershony win gold medal in wheelchair tennis singles Noam Gershony win gold medal in wheelchair tennis singles Copyright: Razi Livnat, London
    Noam Gershony takes gold in wheelchair tennis singles (Photo: Razi Livnat, London)
     

    President Shimon Peres and PM Benjamin Netanyahu hosted Israel's Paralympic team, returning from a successful campaign in the London 2012 Paralympic games.

    President Peres told the members of the Israeli delegation: "It is a victory of the spirit, it is a triumph of the soul."

    PM Netanyahu told delegation members: "We met last month at a very moving ceremony at the Prime Minister's Office and before you left you gave this to me, Noam - not a medal but a medallion of the Paralympic Games in London. I saw this as a deposit. You gave me this medallion and you have returned with medals.

    To tell the truth, I must tell you that I did not think that you would return with so many medals. Bronze, silver and gold, this is very moving. As President Shimon Peres said, and as Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat will certainly say, Noam, when you stood there and heard the national anthem and you cried, I also cried and the entire country identified with you.

    All of you represent the Israeli spirit at its best. Once, it was said that the best became pilots, they still say that. Today, they say that the best play tennis. I think that the fact that you struggled and you won here, this is what moved us all. I phoned some of you and congratulated you. You uplifted an entire nation.

    First of all, I would like to give you this medal on behalf of the entire nation. You were simply fantastic. I would like to say that this country arose on the basis of a simple, short and very strong saying: If you will it, it is no dream. You willed it and it was no dream."



    Israel won one gold, two silver and five bronze medals at the London games.


    • Noam Gershony won gold in the tennis singles. Previously, Gershony and Shraga Weinberg won a bronze medal in the tennis doubles. Weinberg defeated defending singles champion Peter Norfolk of Britain in the quarter finals, where he was defeated by his partner Gershony.
      Noam Gershony, a former helicopter pilot, learned to play tennis in a wheelchair after a crash during the Second Lebanon War left him severely wounded.
      PM Netanyahu: "You symbolize the victory of the human spirit over the difficulties created by the reality in which we live. This is gold for you and the country."


    Noam Gershony takes gold in wheelchair tennis singles
    Noam Gershony wins gold (Photo: Razi Livnat, London)


    • Doron Shaziri won Israel's first silver medal at the 2012 games in rifle shooting, followed by another for Lion Koby in cycling.


    Lion Koby on his way to a silver medal
    Lion Koby on his way to a silver medal (Photo: Razi Livnat, London) 


    • Israeli swimmer Inbal Pezaro won three bronze medals in the Women's 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle, and Itzhak Mamistvalov one bronze. Mamistvalov, diagnosed with cerebral palsy at eight-months-old, is disabled in all limbs except for his right arm with which he swims.

    Israeli swimmer Inbal Pezaro, right, holds the bronze medal she won in the 50 meter freestyle event
    Israeli swimmer Inbal Pezaro, right, holds the bronze medal she won in the 50 meter
    freestyle event (Photo: Razi Livnat, London)

    Izhak Mamistvalov won bronze in the 200-meter freestyle
    Izhak Mamistvalov won bronze in the 200-meter freestyle (Photo: Razi Livnat, London)


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  • A reminder:

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    Israel has had success in disabled sports, winning medals at the Paralympic games and giving disabled athletes an opportunity to excel. Israel took 42 athletes to the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, competing in archery, athletics, basketball, cycling, equestrian, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis and tennis. The team came home with five silver medals and one bronze.

    Israel debuted at the inaugural Games in 1960 in Rome, winning a total of 364 medals over the years. Their most successful Paralympian is Zipora RUBIN-ROSENBAUM, who between 1964 and 1988 won 21 medals, 11 of which were gold. Uri BERGMAN won 12 medals between 1976 and 1988, of which 11 were gold. Tel Aviv, Israel, hosted the 1968 Paralympic Games. 

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  • PM Netanyahu and Culture and Sports Minister Livnat host Israel's Paralympic athletes

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    (Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

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    Photo: GPO

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Culture and Sports Minister Limor Livnat, on Tuesday, 14 August 2012, in Jerusalem, held a festive reception for Israel's delegation to the Paralympics, which will open on August 29 in London. Israel Paralympic Committee (IPC) Chairman Danny Ben-Abu, IPC Director-General Dr. Ron Bolotin, trainers and IPC officials also attended.

    The 25 Paralympic athletes who will represent Israel in London will compete in nine sports: Road Cycling, Rowing, Sailing, Wheelchair Tennis, Table Tennis, Shooting, Swimming, Equestrian and Athletics. IPC Chairman Ben-Abu thanked Prime Minister Netanyahu and Culture and Sports Minister Livnat for equalizing conditions for Paralympic and Olympic athletes. "You deserve great thanks for this," he said.

    Prime Minister Netanyahu told the athletes: "I broke my leg when I was 14 but it did not affect me too much. I was in a cast for a few months. Now, at a slightly more advanced age, I have had this experience, when you cannot reach the steps and you run into a wall and when you need to get into and out of the shower and you run into difficulties with simple, daily actions. This is on a small scale, it is so small but it is so large, and it has given me at least a reminder of the incredible thing that you are doing - first of all, the challenges of being handicapped, of physical limitations. This is mentally challenging and gives appreciation of both achievements and commitment - our commitment and your achievements."

    Prime Minister Netanyahu added: "What you do does not compare to the efforts of other athletes, which are very great. What you are called upon to do is in a different sphere. What you demand of yourselves, nobody demands of you. You demand of yourselves and achieve things physically and, first and foremost, mentally. From my point-of-view, you are already champions and you have achieved major victories. I also promise you that we will give you all possible support, you, your trainers and your accompanying staff.

    But you asked from something modest - you said that you want your families, neighbors and friends, and all of Israel, to be able to watch you on TV, and this is my small contribution - there will be broadcasts. I want all Israelis to see our champions. I hope that you bring home medals but from my point-of-view, you already have. Good luck to you, Israel and the human spirit."

    Culture and Sports Minister Livnat also used the occasion to thank Israel's Olympic athletes, who have recently returned from London: "You have returned with very fine achievements and I would like to offer a brave and large embrace to all of the athletes who were there and did their best in order to succeed." The Minister added: "Today we provide equal medical and professional services for Olympic and Paralympic athletes. I see you as an inseparable part of Israeli and Olympic sports. In my view, you rise above all other athletes with your ability to overcome your handicaps. You do this so well. You do amazing things and are a model for the emulation and admiration of our youth and all those who encounter difficulties. I love you and wish you success."