Iyad Shalabi (or Eyad Shalaby, , ; born 16 July 1987) is an Arab-Israeli Paralympic champion swimmer. Representing Israel at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, Shalabi won two gold medals in swimming.
Early life Shalabi is a Muslim Israeli-Arab from Shefa-Amr, Israel.Kay Wilson (12 October 2021). "The man who filled us with hope," Christians for Israel. He is both deaf and paraplegic. He was deaf-mute from birth, and at 13 years of age he became paralyzed in all four limbs in an accident in which he fell from a rooftop; he now uses a wheelchair."Paralympic swimmer Iyad Shalabi wins Tokyo gold, is 1st Arab Israeli medalist," The Times of Israel, 25 August 2021."Swimming Against the Current," JFF.Broyer Almond (25 August 2021). "Gold medal for swimmer Iyad Shalabi from the Haifa team in the Paralympic Games • Well done!," Haipo. He has a deaf and mute brother.
Swimming career He swims at the ILAn (Israel Association for Children with Disabilities) Rehabilitation and Sports Center in Haifa, Israel, and his coach is Yaacov Beininson. His father, Yusuf, goes with his mute son to all of his competitions."Iyad Shalabi," Israel Swimming. He competes in disability classification S1, which is for those with the most severe activity limitations.
At the 2007 Israel Swimming Championships for the Disabled he was announced as by the swimming committee as the Outstanding Swimmer for 2007."Keren Leibovitz returns to the pool," Ynet.
Shalabi represented Israel in the Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016 Paralympics.
In 2017, a documentary entitled Swimming Against the Current was screened at the Jerusalem Film Festival which had been directed and produced by Arab Assel Abu Hjoul. It followed him as he prepared for the World Championships in Glasgow.
Shalabi won a bronze medal in the 150-meter individual medley at the 2018 European Championships. He set the world record in his disability category for the 150-meter medley while winning a gold medal at the 2021 European Championships in England in May 2021.
Representing Israel at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, Shalabi won gold medals in swimming at the 100m backstroke S1 event (2:28.04; ahead of Ukrainian silver medalist Anton Kol) and the 50m backstroke S1 event (1:11.79; again ahead of Kol) at 34 years of age."Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Day One Finals: 2 World and 8 Paralympic Records Fall," SwimSwam."Tokyo Paralympics Day 9 Finals: Jessica Long Now 28-Time Paralympic Medalist," SwimSwam."Iyad Shalabi," International Paralympic Committee. Shalabi was the first Arab-Israeli citizen to win an individual medal in either the Paralympics or the Olympics. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called him to congratulate him, and also congratulated Shalabi in a tweet, calling him a “champion” and “a symbol of power. We are proud of you for the gold medal. Well done!""Israeli-Arab swimmer Iyad Shalabi wins gold medal in Paralympics; Iyad Shalabi is the first Israeli-Arab to win a medal in a Paralympic or Olympic game and won Israel's first gold medal of the 2021 Paralympic Games," The Jerusalem Post. Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Hili Tropper wrote: "Iyad is an inspiring man whose life has been full of victories. “And today, another great victory. Iyad ... filled us all with pride. We are proud of you, Iyad Shalabi!" Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also congratulated him in a tweet.
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