(JTA) — Israeli swimmers Iyad Shalabi and Ami Dadaon each won gold medals at the Paralympics on Thursday, adding to Israel’s historic medal showing.
So far, Israel has won nine medals — all but one in swimming events. Six of the medals are gold.
On the first day of competition, Shalabi had already made history by becoming the first Arab-Israeli to medal in the Olympics or Paralympics. His second gold medal came on day 9 in the men’s 50-meter backstroke S1 category. Shalabi was born deaf to a Muslim family in Shfar’am, in northern Israel, and this is his fourth Paralympics.
Dadaon won his third medal on day 9 — a gold in the men’s 50-meter freestyle S4 category while setting a Paralympic record. He had already won gold in the men’s 200-meter freestyle S4 category and silver in the men’s 150-meter individual medley SM4 category.
Israel’s two other swimming golds were won by Mark Malyar.
Before this year, Israel had not won a gold medal in Paralympic swimming.
