This photograph, which appeared in Ma’ariv on May 8, 1983, was taken at the retirement ceremony for the Israeli track and field athlete Esther Roth-Shahamorov. The ceremony took place about three years after her final appearance in official competitions.
In the photo, Roth-Shahamorov appears next to the world famous German athlete Ulrike Meyfarth, who came to the ceremony to pay tribute to this outstanding Israeli athlete. Roth- Shahamorov is sitting on the track next to her one-year-old daughter Michal.
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Esther Roth-Shahamorov - Esther Roth-Shahamorov is Israel’s most famous track and field athlete, who also managed to achieve Israel’s record athletics result in the Olympics. As a young girl, Roth-Shahamorov already demonstrated her running ability with successes in many international competitions. In the 1972 Munich Olympics, while narrowly missing the 100 metres final, she had already qualified for the 100 metres hurdles when she quit the games due to the murder of her coach, Amitzur Shapira, and 10 other members of the Israeli team by Palestinian terrorists.
Roth-Shahamorov’s greatest achievement came at the Montreal Olympics in 1976, when she finished sixth in the 100 metres hurdles in 13.04 seconds. She continued to compete and win medals until her retirement in 1980 and held the Israeli 100 metres record until 2014.
Esther Roth-Shahamorov inspired hundreds of young athletes and continues to be a role model to sportswomen who wish to combine a career with motherhood.
