Wingate Institute to Host 53rd Amitsur Race Honoring Munich Coach
The Levinsky-Wingate Academic Center will hold its 53rd traditional Amitsur Race on November 24, honoring the memory of Olympic athletics coach Amitsur Shapira, who was murdered in the 1972 Munich Olympics terrorist attack.
The Levinsky-Wingate Academic Center will host the 53rd traditional Amitsur Race on November 24 at the Wingate Institute campus near Netanya. The annual event is dedicated to the memory of Amitsur Shapira, the legendary Israeli athletics coach who was murdered by terrorists during the 1972 Munich Olympics along with 10 other members of the Israeli delegation.
Shapira left an indelible mark on Israeli sports, most notably as the personal coach of Olympic sprinter Esther Roth-Shachamorov, whom he guided for six years up to the Munich Games. The race seeks to bridge generations of athletes, students, and educators while preserving his enduring legacy of perseverance and excellence.
Prof. Shira Yalon-Haimovitz, president of the academic center, emphasized the deeper significance of the gathering. "The Amitsur Race is much more than a sporting event. It is an opportunity to pause, remember, and pass on to the younger generation the values that Amitsur Shapira symbolized—a love of sport, perseverance, excellence, and the human spirit," she stated.
The upcoming event will draw prominent figures from across the sports and academic spheres, including Shapira's widow and family members. Among the high-profile attendees are Yael Arad, chair of the Olympic Committee of Israel; Adi Bichman, CEO of the Olympic Committee; Oded Shapirer, CEO of the Levinsky-Wingate Academic Center; and ASA Chair Vico Hadad.
