President Herzog hosted the Paralympic delegation: "Proud to be part of a country whose athletes are" | Israel today

The athlete from the Israeli delegation to the Tokyo Paralympic Games, who returned with 9 medals, was hosted today (Tuesday) at the President's House for a festive reception attended by President Yitzhak Herzog and Minister of Culture and Sports Hili Trooper.

President Herzog opened by saying: "The walls of this house are narrow to contain the pride we feel upon your return home adorned with medals and achievements, with new personal, national and international records. You brought to all the people of Israel very happy and exciting moments. "We almost stopped the work routine for another moment of pride and contentment that you gave us. You are the proof that even when it is hard when the heart wants everything is possible. I am proud to be part of a country that is an athlete.

Minister of Culture and Sports Trooper added: "The Paralympic Games were a show of willpower, striving for excellence and a great human spirit. Thank you for that good breeze. You, all of you, are basically a bunch of people who win every day anew. You are like an endless hurdle run. .

Photo: Oren Ben Hakon,

The chairman of the Paralympic Committee, Dr. Shuki Dekel, said: "We went to Tokyo with the President's blessing and here today we returned to the President's House in a very dignified manner. We came back here to say 'We did it!'

We promised and kept, and proved to everyone the victory of the spirit over the body, and that the impossible is possible!

Our inspiring athletes have gone beyond and beyond limits "

On behalf of the athletes, the swimmer, the winner of two gold and one silver medal, spoke with Ami Dadon, who said: "The opportunity to represent the country, and bring honor and joy to the entire people of Israel, is a huge privilege. And the love we receive now will also accompany us later this year. "

The achievements of the delegation to Tokyo placed Israel in 22nd place in the ranking of countries that participated in the Tokyo 2020 Games. The delegation included 33 athletes, 18 women and 15 men, including two Muslims, and one Druze.

Photo: Oren Ben Hakon,

The three swimmers, Ami Dadon, Mark Maliar, and Iyad Shelby, all members of Ilan Haifa, the trainees of coach Yaakov Bininson, who compete in various levels of disability, returned with 8 medals.

Daddown (Class 4) returned with a world record, two gold medals and one silver, a billionaire (Class 7) with two world records, two gold medals and a bronze medal, and Shelby (Class 1) the first Muslim ever to win an Olympic or Paralympic medal for Israel, sat With a world record and two gold medals.

Rower Moran Samuel, a member of the Tel Aviv Warrior House, who trains at the Daniel Center in Tel Aviv with coach Paula Grizetti and assistant coach Dima Margolin, who upgraded the bronze medal she won in Rio 2016 and returned to Israel with a silver medal.