Israel’s handicapped athletes won 41 medals and emerged 16th out of 66 competing countries in the Paralympics, the international games for the physically handicapped which just ended in Seoul, South Korea.
The Israeli team, which is due home on Thursday, is bringing back 12 gold medals, 13 silver and 16 bronze.
It won medals in all eight sports events entered, and was especially strong in swimming.
By contrast, the Israeli team that competed in the regular Olympic Games in Seoul last month returned without a single medal.
The team received a message of congratulations from President Chaim Herzog before departing South Korea.
The 62 Israeli men and women who participated in the Paralympics included those wounded in Israel’s wars, as well as civilians incapacitated by diseases such as polio or accidents.
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