Yizhar Cohen (swimmer)

For other people named Yizhar Cohen, see Yizhar Cohen.

Yizhar Cohen (Hebrew: יזהר כהן; born August 12, 1962), also known as Izhar Cohen, is an Israeli paralympic swimmer.

Yizhar Cohen

Personal information
Native name	יזהר כהן
Born	(1962-08-12)12 August 1962
Sport
Country	Israel
Medal record Event 1st 2nd 3rd Paralympic Games 3 2 1 Men's para swimming Representing  Israel Paralympic Games 1988 Seoul 100m freestyle B1[1] 1988 Seoul 50m freestyle B1[2] 1988 Seoul 50m breaststroke B1[3] 1988 Seoul 100m breaststroke B1[4] 1996 Atlanta 50m freestyle B1[5] 1992 Barcelona 50m freestyle B1[6] Swimming World Championship 1994 Malta 50m freestyle B1 1994 Malta 100m freestyle B1 1994 Malta 100m breaststroke B1 2002 Argentina 50m freestyle S11

Biography

Cohen was born in Kibbutz, Degania Alef. In 1985, he was blinded by a land mine while serving with the Israel Defense Forces.

Cohen works as a Shiatsu therapist and is married and father of two.

Swimming career

Following his loss of eyesight, he began practicing disabled sports in athletics and swimming. Since 1987, he has taken part in international competitions, including six Paralympic Games held between 1988 and 2008. Until 2004, he also took part in four world championships and eight European championships.^[7]

Cohen swims in breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle and backstroke. In 2008, he focused on freestyle swimming. At the 1987 European Championship in Moscow, he won four gold medals. In the 1988 Summer Paralympics, he won three gold medals and one silver. He won more medals at the 1992 Summer Paralympics (1 bronze) and the 1996 Summer Paralympics (1 silver).

At the 2008 Summer Paralympics, Cohen was the Israeli flag bearer.

See also

• Sports in Israel