Dear Friends,
We are incredibly proud to share that on August 19th, three of our brothers Barak Hazor, Shmulik Daniel, and Achiya Klein flew to Tokyo to represent Israel in the 2020 Paralympics as part of the Israeli rowing team!
Barak was wounded in 2006 while serving as a paratrooper. An explosive device struck his vehicle and all four of his limbs were injured. After only three months into his punishing recovery, he decided to start playing wheelchair basketball, where he excelled. Barak quickly gained a spot on the national team, but that wasn’t enough for him. Barak had his sights set high on the Paralympics and earned a spot on the rowing team.
Shmulik served in the elite Egoz unit and suffered a spinal injury in 2005 during an attack in Lebanon. Soon after he was told that his injuries were irreversible, but Shmulik wouldn’t give in. “I decided that I would do everything I could and use whatever Tel Hashomer Hospital had to offer to regain as much of my abilities as I could.” His recovery was so exceptional that he was awarded a distinction from the Israeli government
Achiya was seriously injured in 2013 while dismantling a terrorist tunnel in Gaza. He suffered severe burns and lost his ability to see. He used athletics as an important part of his recovery. “Sports saved my life. Physical activities helped me to find capabilities in my body and mind that I wasn’t even aware I had.”
The preparation for Tokyo was anything but easy. In addition to ongoing rehabilitation, these brothers committed themselves to grueling training schedules to reach their goal of representing Israel as Olympic athletes. They are also representing every one of our 1,150 BFL members. For us, they have already won gold. They have pushed themselves beyond what most of us would think is possible. They have turned their injuries into instruments of self-growth.
The Tokyo Paralympics run from August 24-September 5 and the rowing events will be held on August 27, 28, 29. Shmulik Daniel is competing in Men’s Single Sculls and Barak and Achiya competing in Mixed Coxed Four.
GO ISRAEL!
Shabbat Shalom
Yaniv