Swimmers Ami Dadaon, Ariel Malyar qualify for finals at Paris Paralympics

Two Israeli swimmers qualify for finals at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, while the country’s two para-canoe athletes compete in their first qualifying races.

Ami Dadaon, who has already won three medals in Paris, finishes third overall in the heats of the 50m freestyle in the S4 disability class in 37.61 seconds, making it to the final. Dadaon’s Paralympic record of 37.21, however, was overturned today by Canada’s Sebastian Massabie, who finished in 36.95.

Dadaon still holds the world record of 36.25, which he set in 2022.

Fellow Israeli Ariel Malyar finishes 8th in the heats of the same event with a time of 40.61 and clinches the last spot in tonight’s final.

Meanwhile, his twin brother, Mark Malyar, finishes ninth in the heats of the men’s 100m freestyle in the S8 category, just missing out on a place in the final. Malyar, who was moved to a lighter disability class since Tokyo, won a bronze earlier in the Paris Games.

In the canoe events, Irina Shafir and Talia Eilat take to the water for their first qualifying heats.

Eilat finishes fifth overall in the heats of the women’s 200m kayak KL2, and will compete in Sunday’s semifinal, aiming for one of the spots in the final. Shafir finishes last in the heats of the women’s 200m Va’a VL2 race, but still gets another shot in tomorrow’s semifinal.