Sportsאיילה מלחן

Ayala Malhan

Ayala Malchan-Katz is an Israeli Paralympic athlete who took part in 6 Paralympic Games between 1968 and 1988 and won 13 medals, 5 of them gold.

13 Paralympic medalsWheelchair fencingWheelchair basketballAccessible Community program in Petah Tikva

Occupation: wheelchair fencer, wheelchair basketball player, Para swimmer

The story of Ayala Malhan's life

Ayala Malchan-Katz was born in 1949. At the age of 3 months she contracted polio, which affected her legs. She was treated in a hospital in Jerusalem for 9 years and then returned to her parents' home in Rosh HaAyin.

She started competing in disabled sports as part of her rehabilitation. She took part in swimming, fencing and wheelchair basketball. From 1968 to 1988 she competed in 6 Paralympic Games and won 13 medals, 5 of them gold.

Her gold medals came in wheelchair basketball in 1968, team fencing in 1972 and 1976, and individual foil in 1980. She also won silver and bronze medals in fencing and basketball.

She lives in Petah Tikva. She heads the city's branch of the national program Accessible Community, which works to apply the law on equal rights for people with disabilities.

Milestones in Ayala Malhan's life

1949
Born in Israel.
1968
Won gold in wheelchair basketball and bronze in novice foil at the Paralympics.
1972
Won gold with the women's fencing team and bronze in wheelchair basketball.
1976
Won gold in novice team foil and bronze in individual foil.
1980
Won gold in individual foil and silver in team foil.
1984
Won silver in team foil.
1988
Won bronze in team foil at her sixth Paralympics.