Israeli swimmer Ami Dadaon has claimed gold in the 100-meter freestyle S4 category at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.

The 23-year-old dominated the final on Friday by stopping the clock at 1:20.25 minutes to secure his fourth Paralympic medal and Israel’s second gold of the games. In the qualifying round, Dadaon set a new Paralympic record of 1:19.33 minutes, finishing 3.47 seconds ahead of Japan’s Takayuki Suzuki. The final saw Dadaon maintain control from start to finish, with Suzuki claiming silver (1:21.71) and Mexico’s Angel de Jesus Camacho taking bronze (1:22.32).

“It wasn’t an easy race for me,” Dadaon tells Haaretz after his victory. “I was able to represent the people of Israel; I have no words to describe the feeling. When I’m in the water, I don’t think about anything, only the race. But now I know that I will sing Hatikvah during this time. That’s all I wanted, to represent the people of Israel in this period and to give them hope.”

Dadaon’s journey to Paralympic success is a story of tremendous perseverance. Born with cerebral palsy affecting all four limbs, he began swimming at age six. Dadaon’s talent became evident in his teens when he transitioned to the senior team at age 17 and immediately won two silver medals at the European Championships.

The Haifa native’s impressive resume includes four medals at the 2021 World Championships, multiple world records, and three medals at the Tokyo Paralympics. His recent performances, including seven golds at the 2024 European Championships, have positioned him as a strong contender for multiple medals in this year’s games in Paris.

“I hope that every child and adult who finds it a little difficult will know that there’s hope and that there is light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.