One-Legged Woman Takes Inspirational Swim in the Israeli Snow
It was a nice, cool day at Israel’s Mount Hermon, the country’s only ski resort. The slopes were open, the ski lifts running and many Israelis were taking the opportunity to try the alpine sport. And yet this Wednesday, some skiers were greeted by quite an uncommon sight: a one-legged woman in a bathing suit, goggles and swim cap “swimming” in the fresh white snow.
Forty-five-year-old Ilanit Yurman lost her leg to cancer when she was 9. When reporter Guy Varon asked why she was swimming in the snow, she answered “because I can!”
Ilanit, a bank worker by trade, is an accomplished triathlete and open water swimmer. She uses the WEST method, a therapeutic technique invented by Israeli professional swimmer, coach and therapist Ori Sela, to improve her swimming.
Ilanit and her fellow WEST swimmers went to try snow swimming, which is apparently, something a lot of passionate swimmers are into these days.
The group appears to be having a great time in this video:
אילנית חלתה בסרטן כשהייתה בת9 ורגלה נקטעה. על השאלה למה היא שוחה בבגד ים בשלג, בחרמון היא עונה – כי אני יכולה (!) pic.twitter.com/5vBPYcszhu
— Guy Varon (@guyvaron) February 4, 2016
Ilanit told the reporter that her next challenge is a 12-kilometer swim in the open sea, in preparation for a pretty big feat: swimming in the English Channel Relay.
“It’s important for me to be an inspiration to others so that people see that everything is possible and go for it.”
I don’t know about you, but we are definitely inspired.
[H/T Mako]
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30