Erel Halevi

Career

Halevi became reliant on a wheelchair at age 11 due to an autoimmune disease, later learning to walk on crutches. She underwent rehabilitation at Sheba Medical Center for several years without further improvement, but remained positive about her progress from wheelchair to crutches. Although exempt from service because of her condition, she volunteered for the Israeli Navy, considering military service part of a normal life in her country. She learned to swim through the Israeli Foundation for Handicapped Children (ILAN), where coach Yaakov Banison recognized her potential for the Paralympics. She joined the ILAN team and later the national team. Her first major event was the 2009 IPC Swimming European Championships, where she earned a bronze in the women's 50 meter freestyle in the S7 classification. At the 2011 IPC Swimming European Championships, she placed fourth in the 400 meters freestyle. Before the 2012 Summer Paralympics, she won gold in the 400 meters freestyle at the Berlin Swimming Open. At those Paralympics, she finished 12th overall in the 50 meters freestyle. She won another bronze in the 50 meter freestyle at the 2016 IPC Swimming European Championships in Funchal, Madeira, behind Susie Rodgers and Denise Grahl. She also reached the finals of the 100 meters freestyle and 400 meters freestyle, finishing fifth in each. She was named to the Israeli team for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.