Swimmer scoops gold
University of Johannesburg's (UJ) paralympic swimmer Shireen Sapiro scooped gold and two silver medals for South Africa at the 19th Maccabiah Games in Israel on 1 August.
Sapiro, who won the 100m backstroke gold in the S10 category in Beijing five years ago, repeated her triumph over the same distance in 1:11.93 at the Wingate Institute of Sport in Netanya on 24 July.
She added to her Maccabiah silverware with second place in both the 50m and 100m freestyle events.
It was the first time that the international games, which are commonly referred to as the Jewish Olympics, included an official paralympic component.
Sapiro, who has severe muscle dysfunction on the left side of her body following a water-skiing accident nine years ago said, “It’s amazing for development in disabled sport, for Israel and the Jewish moment. I feel so lucky to be a part of it.”
The first-year journalism student proved she was more than a match for the able-bodied swimmers at the previous Games in 2009, when she competed in the open category. She claimed silver in the 100m backstroke and was also part of SA’s bronze medal-winning relay team. She said her career goal was to become a journalist and make a difference in disabled sport. “I believe I will be able to touch many lives through the media. I also want to swim at one more Paralympics – then it’s time to live life outside the world of swimming.”
Sapiro has been on good form since the London Olympics last year, where she took third place in her signature backstroke event. She said her Paralympic medals had definitely been the highlights of her career to date.
“There’s no better feeling than being able to stand on a Paralympic podium and seeing the SA flag being raised.”
