A Jewish alpine skier has made her second appearance at the Winter Paralympics, retaining her status as the only Israeli athlete ever to compete at the Games.
Sheina Vaspi, an observant Orthodox Jew, has described competing at Milano-Cortina 2026 as the country’s first and only representative as “a mission from above”.
Vaspi, 24, made history as the Jewish state’s debut Winter Paralympian in 2022, competing in the standing giant slalom in Beijing – and she continues to fly the flag as Israel’s sole representative in the latest edition of the Games.
Raised in a Chasidic family in Yesud Hama’ala in the north of Israel, Vaspi, 24, does not compete or train on Shabbat, and has in the past donned a skirt over her ski attire to adhere to modesty laws.
The sportswoman, whose left leg was amputated above the knee after she was involved in a car accident aged three, only took up skiing aged 16, taking to the slopes at Israel’s only ski resort, Mount Hermon, in the Golan Heights.
She relocated to Colorado, in the United States, two years later to pursue the sport, also learning English and continuing her strict observance.
“It’s a mission from above,” Vaspi told the Jerusalem Post while undergoing a physiotherapy session in Italy.
“Being the only representative is a massive responsibility, especially now. My heart is in Israel; my family is in Israel. There’s a natural pull to be home, but that only gives what I’m doing more meaning”.
She added: “I put a giant Israeli flag on my helmet... When I’m on that mountain, I am the flag.”
Reflecting on her upbringing and the way her disability was treated, Vaspi said: “I’m lucky I was born to my parents. The word ‘handicapped’ was never uttered. When they bought my sister her first bike, they bought me one too. There was zero difference.”
Vaspi’s appearance at the Games this year comes after she was plunged into a “place of deep fear” after tearing her her ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in January 2025 when she crashed while skiing at a speed of 120 kilometres per hour.
“Before the injury, I didn’t know what fear was. I just chased speed. After the surgery, the fear of falling again started to trickle in. It’s a new opponent I have to face on every run,” she said.
Vaspi’s first event was scheduled for Saturday but she did not participate due to Shabbat.
Explaining her decision, she said: “I’m a believer; if God wants the race to happen for me, He can change the weather and delay the event”.
Instead, she made her first appearance in Italy yesterday in the super-G (super giant slalom) standing event – which combines the speed of downhill racing with the precision of giant slalom – but failed to complete the run.
Today she finished in 12th place in the women’s alpine combined standing out of 15 skiers, and on Thursday she is due to compete in the giant slalom.
The cohort of Jewish athletes competing at the Winter Olympics last month took home four gold medals and four silver medals across both the men’s and women’s ice hockey, speed skating, snowboarding, and curling.
The Winter Paralympic Games will run in Milano Cortina until March 15.
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