Mark Malyar

Mark Malyar was born prematurely in the 29th week of pregnancy in Kiryat Motzkin, Israel, alongside his twin brother Ariel.[1] Both brothers were born with cerebral palsy and each underwent three operations, including selective dorsal rhizotomy, a procedure intended to reduce muscle stiffness and improve movement.[1]

At around age four or five, an orthopedic doctor recommended swimming as physical therapy, and both brothers began hydrotherapy at the ILAN Haifa club.[2][1] What began as a medical intervention revealed their aptitude for swimming, and they joined the club's competitive team.[2] Malyar later summarized the progression: “After all, I was thrown into the pool at age five and trained twice a day since I was 13—it’s been a long journey.”[2]

His family reorganized much of its daily schedule around his training demands. By age 12, Malyar was reportedly swimming seven kilometers in the morning and another seven kilometers in the evening.[1] National coach Yaakov Beninson discovered him in 2009 and developed him gradually; Malyar began training under the coach at age ten and joined Israel's national team at age 13.[2][1]

Malyar's international career took shape through strong performances at World and European Championships before he reached the Paralympic stage. At the 2017 World Championships in Mexico City, he won bronze in the 100-meter backstroke and finished sixth in the 100-meter breaststroke. He was named Athlete of the Year by the Israeli Paralympic Committee that same year.[2][3]

At the 2018 European Championships in Dublin, he collected three medals: silver in the 400-meter freestyle and bronze in both the 100-meter breaststroke and 100-meter backstroke.[2] At the 2019 World Championships in London, he won gold in the 400-meter freestyle in a world-record time of 4:33.64 and silver in the 200-meter individual medley.[2] He was named Athlete of the Year by the Israeli Disabled Sports Federation in 2020, and at the 2021 European Championships in Portugal he added one gold, two silver, and one bronze medal.[1]

By the time of his first Paralympic Games, Malyar had accumulated one gold, one silver, and four bronze medals at World Championships, and one gold, three silver, and three bronze medals across the 2018 and 2020 European Championships.[4]

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, held in 2021 following a pandemic postponement, Malyar made his Paralympic debut.[1] Competing in the S7 and SM7 classifications, he won gold in the men's 200-meter individual medley in 2:29.01 and gold in the men's 400-meter freestyle in 4:31.06, setting world records in both events and improving his own previous 400-meter mark of 4:33.64.[4][1] He also won bronze in the 100-meter backstroke in 1:10.08 and finished sixth in the 50-meter freestyle in 28.49 seconds, setting an Israeli record in that event.[1]

Ahead of the Paris Games, a profile credited Malyar with world records in the 400-meter, 800-meter, and 1,500-meter freestyle and the 200-meter individual medley.[5]

Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

Between the Tokyo and Paris Paralympic Games, Malyar was moved to a lower disability classification.[6] He said he had doubted during training whether he could keep pace with competitors in the new class.[7]

At Paris 2024, Malyar won bronze in the men's 100-meter backstroke, finishing in 1:07.42 behind Spain's Íñigo Llopis Sanz and Japan's Kato Kubota.[2] The medal was his fourth career Paralympic medal.[2] He also finished fifth in the men's 200-meter individual medley final in the SM8 class.[7]

Malyar's bronze contributed to Israel's overall haul at Paris 2024, where a 28-athlete delegation competing across ten sports won ten medals: four gold, two silver, and four bronze.[8]

Malyar was also selected for the international Team Visa program, a group of athletes receiving support and guidance from the financial services company. He said the support allowed him to reduce financial concerns and focus more fully on training and performance.[5]

Malyar's international record is marked by both medal consistency and record progression. His 2019 world title in the 400-meter freestyle came in a world-record time of 4:33.64; at Tokyo he lowered his own mark to 4:31.06 and also set a world record in the 200-meter individual medley.[2][1] His two Tokyo gold medals and bronze were followed by another bronze in Paris after he had been moved to a lower disability classification, making him a four-time medalist across two Paralympic Games.[2][6]

Beyond the Paralympics, a pre-Paris profile listed one gold, one silver, and four bronze medals at World Championships between 2017 and 2023, as well as one gold, three silver, and three bronze medals at the 2018 and 2020 European Championships.[4] Another profile credited him with world records in four events.[5] His progression from childhood hydrotherapy at ILAN Haifa to world-record performances was supported over many years by his family, club, and coach.[2][1]

Malyar's twin brother Ariel shared his path into sport and represented Israel at both the Tokyo and Paris Paralympic Games.[4] The brothers were born with cerebral palsy, began swimming together as therapy, and progressed through the ILAN Haifa club, although they compete in different disability classifications.[2][4] Their journey from childhood hydrotherapy to representing Israel at two Paralympic Games reflects the central role their family played in supporting their athletic careers.[1]