Elham Mahamid Ruzin
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Elham Mahamid Ruzin (Hebrew: אלהאם מחמיד רוזין, Arabic: إلهام محاميد روزين; born 16 February 1990) is an Israeli Paralympic goalball player and former captain of the Israel women's national goalball team.
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| Native name | אלהאם מחמיד רוזין إلهام محاميد روزين | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 16 February 1990[1] Umm al-Fahm, Israel | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Spouse | Michael Ruzin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country | Israel | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Goalball | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability class | B3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Raz Shoham | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Early and personal life
Elham Mahamid was born in the Galilee in the Arab Muslim city of Umm al-Fahm, Israel, and is an Arab Muslim Israeli.[2][3][4] She is legally blind, and was diagnosed as a child with the hereditary genetic eye disease achromatopsia, color blindness, and a very intense sensitivity to daylight.[5][4][6] The disease does not have a cure, and she wears special glasses.[4]
Mahamid volunteered for Sherut Leumi post-secondary school national service at a legal aid clinic. Elham holds a bachelor’s degree in education and theater studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as a master’s degree in psychodrama from Seminar Hakibutzim.[4] She speaks Arabic, Hebrew, English, and Russian.[1]
In 2018 Mahamid married Michael Ruzin, who is Jewish, has a vision impairment as well, and is the captain of Israel men's national goalball team.[5][4] They had met when they were both studying in university in Jerusalem ten years prior, at a sports camp.[4] She and her husband have a boy and a girl, and the family lives in Hadera, Israel.[4][1]
Goalball career
Elham's coach is Raz Shoham.[1] As to her representing Israel, Elham said: "I am very proud as an athlete to represent my country."[7]
Elham first played goalball at a blind club in Um al-Fahem when she was 15 years old, and took part at an after-school program at the Jewish Institute for the Blind.[8][4] The Israel Paralympic Committee ultimately decided to form a girls’ team around her.[4] She was chosen to be the captain of the team, a position that she held for eight years, from 2010 to 2018.[4][9]
In 2015 the team won the gold medal at the IBSA World Games. It ensured its spot at the 2016 Summer Paralympics, and Elham said: "I will do everything to make my country, my relatives, and the Arab sector proud, showing that there is no difference between all of us and that we can live together."[6][10] The team came in 7th place at the 2016 Paralympic Games.[4] At those Games, she scored the first Paralympic goal for the team.[1]
It won the silver medal at the 2019 European Championship, and qualified for the Tokyo Paralympic Games.[4] It competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, and at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France.[11]
Awards
She was named the 2021 Para-Athlete Peace Prize Global Winner by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e "MAHAMID-RUZIN Elham," Olympics.com.
- ^ "Arab Athlete Proud to Represent Israel at Paralympics," Israel Today.
- ^ "Jewish Ties to Paralympics Run Deep," Jewish Boston.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "2021 Para-Athlete Peace Prize – Elham Mahmid Rosin," Religious Freedom & Business Foundation, August 3, 2021.
- ^ a b "'התאסלמתי בשבילה': סיפור אהבתם של זוג הספורטאים לקויי הראייה". Xnet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2023-12-14.
- ^ a b "Israeli Arab Paralympian takes pride representing Jewish state in Rio; Goalball team captain uses sound to locate and score goals," The Jerusalem Post.
- ^ "Rowing, shooting, wheelchair tennis: Israel sets its sights on the Paralympics," The Times of Israel.
- ^ "Jewish Institute for the Blind Sends a Team to the Paralympics," Jewish Link.
- ^ "אישה כובשת: אלהאם מחאמיד-רוזין לא נותנת למגבלות לעצור אותה". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2023-12-14.
- ^ "נבחרת הכדור-שער בריו, ארד לשלמה לזמי". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2023-12-14.
- ^ "Israel’s goalball team beats Brazil 8:4 in opening match at Paralympics," The Times of Israel.