Israeli Paralympic Rowers Milfelder and Shaheen Win Bronze at World Championships

Israeli Paralympic rowers Shahar Milfelder and Salah Shaheen secured a bronze medal at the World Rowing Championships on August 27, 2026. The duo, who previously won medals at the Paris Paralympic Games and the European Championships, finished third in the 2000-meter double sculls event with a time of 8:14.46 minutes. The gold medal went to the German team of Beyer and Umbach, who completed the race in 8:08.26 minutes, while the Chinese pair Liu and Yang took silver with 8:09.24 minutes. Notably, the Chinese team were the reigning world champions from the previous year.

Milfelder overcame bone cancer diagnosed at age 15 and underwent multiple surgeries, including partial pelvic removal, before fully recovering. Shaheen, a Druze and IDF disabled veteran, was severely injured in a terrorist attack at the Karni Crossing, where he worked as a security guard after his military service as a combat soldier.

Additionally, Israeli single sculler Shmulik Daniel advanced to the semifinals after finishing second in his 2000-meter heat with a time of 10:22.86. The athletes are coached by Dima Margolin and Sergi Bukriev.