Baruch Hagai

Baruch Hagai (Hebrew: ברוך חגאי; born 1944) is an Israeli paralympic champion.

Baruch Hagai
Baruch Hagai, 2016
Personal information
Born(1944-01-17)17 January 1944
Sport
Country Israel
Medal record
Representing  Israel
Summer Paralympic Games
Table tennis
Gold medal – first place 1964 Tokyo Singles C[1]
Gold medal – first place 1968 Tel Aviv Singles C[2]
Gold medal – first place 1968 Tel Aviv Doubles C[3]
Gold medal – first place 1972 Heidelberg Singles 4[4]
Gold medal – first place 1976 Toronto Singles 4-5[5]
Bronze medal – third place 1964 Tokyo Doubles C[6]
Swimming
Gold medal – first place 1964 Tokyo 50m breaststroke[7]
Bronze medal – third place 1964 Tokyo medley relay[8]
Wheelchair basketball
Gold medal – first place 1968 Tel Aviv wheelchair basketball[9]
Gold medal – first place 1980 Arnhem wheelchair basketball
Silver medal – second place 1972 Heidelbergwheelchair basketball
Silver medal – second place 1976 Toronto wheelchair basketball
Bronze medal – third place 1964 Tokyo wheelchair basketball
Stoke Mandeville Games
Table tennis
Gold medal – first place 1965 Doubles
Wheelchair basketball
Gold medal – first place 1967 wheelchair basketball
Gold medal – first place 1969 wheelchair basketball
Gold medal – first place 1981 wheelchair basketball
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1971 wheelchair basketball
Gold medal – first place 1975 wheelchair basketball
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1971 wheelchair basketball
Gold medal – first place 1978 wheelchair basketball
Gold medal – first place 1981 wheelchair basketball

Early life

Hagai was born in Tripoli, Libya, to a Jewish family of 13. At the age of two he contracted polio, and five years later his family made aliyah to Israel. The family settled in Tel Aviv, where Hagai was treated for polio in Israel for the first time. Hagai was trained as a technician, and in the years 1960-2000 he worked as a technician and project manager for a bus-manufacturing factory.

Basketball and table tennis career

He was one of the first to join the Israel Sports Center for the Disabled, in 1960, and was active in wheelchair basketball and in table tennis. Over the years he took part in 224 international basketball games on behalf of the Israeli national team and 66 international games on behalf of the Center. In table tennis he won four consecutive gold medals at the Paralympic Games.

Following his retirement, Hagai joined the Sports Center as head coach.

Awards

In 1986, Hagai was declared as a "Man of Peace" on behalf of the International Olympic Committee.

In 2001, he was awarded with the Israel Prize, for sports,[10][11] in recognition of his long years of excellence in disabled sports.

See also

References
  1. "Results Archive - Tokyo 1964 - Table Tennis - Mens Singles C". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  2. "Results Archive - Tel Aviv 1968 - Table Tennis - Mens Singles C". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  3. "Results Archive - Tel Aviv 1968 - Table Tennis - Mens Doubles C". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  4. "Results Archive - Heidelberg 1972 - Table Tennis - Mens Singles 4". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  5. "Results Archive - Toronto 1976 - Table Tennis - Mens Singles 4 5". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  6. "Results Archive - Tokyo 1964 - Table Tennis - Mens Doubles C". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  7. "Results Archive - Tokyo 1964 - Swimming - Mens 50 M Breaststroke Special Class". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  8. "Results Archive - Tokyo 1964 - Swimming - Mixed Medley Relay Open". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  9. "Results Archive - Tel Aviv 1968 - Wheelchair Basketball - Mens Tournament". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  10. "Israel Prize Official Site (in Hebrew) – Recipient's C.V." Archived from the original on 2012-03-22.
  11. "Israel Prize Official Site (in Hebrew) – Judges' Rationale for Grant to Recipient". Archived from the original on 2009-10-19.
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