Skier Sheina Vaspi is set to make history as the first Israeli athlete to take part in the Winter Paralympic Games. Unfortunately, Vaspi, who skis in skirts for religious reasons, won't be able to participate in Saturday's opening ceremony in Beijing due to it falling on Shabbat.
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Representing Israel at the ceremony will instead be former Paralympic swimmer Inbal Perezo.
Perezo has been providing the 20-year-old athlete guidance in the lead-up to her first-ever Paralympics.
Raised in Yesud HaMa'ala in Israel's north, Vaspi's leg was amputated after she was seriously injured in a car accident at the age of three. Following a period of rehabilitation, a relative introduced her to the Erez Foundation, which works with children and teens with disabilities. It was through the Erez Foundation that Vaspi was first introduced to skiing.
Vaspi is set to compete in two separate events at the Paralympics: the women's giant slalom competition, to be held next Friday, and the women's slalom competition, which will take place the following Sunday.
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