Hagai Zamir

Hagai Zamir is an Israeli paralympic volleyball champion.

Biography

Hagai Zamir was born on Kibbutz Zikim. He served with the IDF's Paratroopers Brigade. On January 2, 1970, during the War of Attrition, Zamir was sent with his unit to the island of Shadwan as part of Operation Rhodes. Zamir and two comrades were injured by a mine. Zamir's left leg was amputated. After six months of rehabilitation he returned to the kibbutz and worked in the cotton fields. He also went back to playing volleyball, now on a team for the disabled.
Zamir is married and father of two. He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.

Sports career

Zamir was an active member of the disabled volleyball team for 30 years, taking part in seven Paralympic Games. He is a certified volleyball and tennis coach. He has been teaching in schools since 1982 and in 1992 he also became a coach of Kfar Saba's municipal team. Several of his teams won national championships.