Israeli Paralympian Ami Omer Dadaon secured his third swimming gold medal on Friday, finishing first in the men's 100m freestyle at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, France. This victory marks Israel's second gold medal at the current games and brings the nation's total Paralympic medal count to 385, as reported by i24NEWS.
Dadaon broke the Paralympic record, finishing in 1:20.25 minutes and winning the final of the 100-meter freestyle in the S4 category. Reflecting on his mindset during the race, Dadaon shared, "When I'm in the water, I don't think about anything, only the race."
Dadaon, a world champion swimmer, acknowledged the challenges he faced during the competition. "It wasn't an easy race for me," he said in a post-race interview. Despite the difficulty, Dadaon expressed his pride in representing Israel internationally.
עמי דדאון, שזכה במדליית זהב בשחייה ל-100 מטר חופשי, שר בגאווה את המנון ״התקווה״.
עמי, אתה גאווה למדינת ישראל! 🇮🇱
וידאו: @sport5il pic.twitter.com/G8p51UmEgK
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) August 31, 2024
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X, "Ami, you make the State of Israel proud!"
The athlete's performance not only showcased his personal achievement but also held a deeper significance for his home country. "I was able to represent the people of Israel. I have no words to describe this feeling," Dadaon said, highlighting the emotional weight of his victory. The gifted athlete kissed the Israeli flag emblem on his uniform after his victory. Despite the challenges posed by his cerebral palsy, Dadaon moved spectators by singing the Israeli national anthem during the medal ceremony. "I will sing Hatikvah. That's all I wanted – to represent the people of Israel in this period and to give them hope."
