IDF Soldier Who Lost Leg in Gaza Aims for 2028 Paralympics
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
David Maschayev, an IDF combat photographer who lost his leg in Gaza in December 2023, has found a new purpose in archery. After extensive rehabilitation and receiving a prosthetic leg, Maschayev is training with the "Gold of Warriors" team for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games. He will compete in his first international event in Cyprus soon, aiming to overcome challenges and find meaning in his athletic pursuits.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- David Maschayev lost his leg in Gaza in December 2023 and is now training for the 2028 Paralympics.
- He discovered archery during rehabilitation and found the sport "so natural" from his first shot.
- Maschayev is part of the "Gold of Warriors" team, aiming for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.
- He has received a prosthetic leg and is adapting to daily life and athletic challenges.
- He will compete in his first international archery event in Cyprus at the end of the month.
David Maschayev, a former combat photographer for the IDF, lost his right leg below the knee during combat in Gaza in December 2023. He was serving with an engineering unit when an incident resulted in his severe injury, along with four other soldiers, and the death of Uriah Yaakov. Maschayev spent three weeks in a medically induced coma and underwent extensive rehabilitation.
During his recovery at Tel Hashomer Hospital in June 2024, Maschayev, then 24 and still using a wheelchair while awaiting a prosthetic leg, discovered archery. He found the sport "so natural" from his first shot and it became a significant part of his rehabilitation. He is now part of the "Gold of Warriors" team, a group of five wounded soldiers training for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games, supported by the Paralympic Committee, the Association for Sports for the Disabled, and Altshuler Shaham Investment House.
Maschayev has since received a prosthetic leg, which he describes as a "game changer," enabling him to walk again, though he notes the challenges of learning to walk with a foreign object and phantom limb pain. He has adapted to daily activities, including playing the piano, by learning to use his left leg for tasks previously done with his right. He is also training for driving with his prosthetic.
He is preparing for his first international competition in Cyprus at the end of the month. Maschayev expressed that while people are often kind and offer help, he sometimes feels tired of being seen as pitiable. He finds purpose and meaning in his training, which involves lifting weights up to 20kg with the bowstring, and is working with physical therapists and coaches to adapt his movements and live with his new reality.
Maschayev was discharged from the hospital in August 2024. He initially focused on regaining his independence and performing everyday tasks before fully committing to the Paralympic dream. Amit Shiner Denderker, Chairman of the Association, encouraged him to aim for the Paralympics, a goal Maschayev is now actively pursuing.