Israeli Swimmer Ami Dadaon Wins Gold in Men’s 100-Meter Freestyle at Paralympics
Israeli swimmer Ami Dadaon achieved a remarkable feat by winning a gold medal in the men’s 100-meter freestyle S4 event at the Paralympics in Paris. This marks his third career Paralympic gold and Israel’s second gold in as many days.
At 23 years old, Dadaon clocked a time of 1:20.25, securing victory with a significant lead over the silver medalist from Japan. He had set a new Paralympic record in the heats with a time of 1:19.33, and holds the world record in his disability classification with a time of 1:18.94 from the 2023 World Para Swimming Championships.
Born with cerebral palsy, Dadaon started swimming at the age of 6. Reflecting on his win, he expressed gratitude for being able to represent Israel and bring hope to his fellow countrymen.
Having previously won medals at the Tokyo Paralympics and various World and European Championships, Dadaon’s success continues to inspire. He was also honored as the Israeli Paralympic sportsman of the year in 2023.
His gold medal follows the victory of Israeli taekwondo athlete Asaf Yasur, further adding to Israel’s success at the Paris Paralympics.