Mark Malyar

Mark Malyar (; born 5 March 2000) is an Israeli Paralympic champion and world champion para swimmer. As of 2024, he had won four world championships and set four world records. At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, he won two gold medals while setting two world records. He competed for Israel at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, and won a bronze medal in the Men's 100 metre backstroke S8.

Early life

Malyar was born with cerebral palsy at Bnei Zion Medical Center in Haifa, Israel.

Swimming career

Malyar began swimming at age 5 with his brother as part of hydrotherapy treatment. He trains at the ILAN pool in Kiryat Haim, and is coached by Yaakov Benenson.

At the 2017 World Championships in Mexico, at 17 years of age, he won a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke.

Malyar represented Israel at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics at 21 years of age, and won gold medals in the 200 metre individual medley SM7 (in 2:29.01) and the 400 m freestyle S7 (in 4:31.06), setting new world records in both, and the bronze medal in the 100 m backstroke S7.

2024–present; Paris Paralympics

As of August 2024, he held world records in the 400-meter, 800-meter, and 1,500-meter freestyle and 200-meter individual medley, and had won four world championship medals. He dedicated his medal to the Israel Defense Forces soldiers fighting to protect Israel, and said: "I want to thank the soldiers and everyone who protects us, thanks to them we can train and we can get to this point, we’re able to live thanks to them."