Legendary Israeli Swimming Coach Leonid Sheikht Passes Away at 70
Israeli swimming mourns the death of legendary coach Leonid Sheikht at 70. Sheikht led the national team and Hapoel Jerusalem, leaving a lasting legacy of Olympians.
The Israeli swimming community mourns the passing of Leonid Sheikht, the former head coach of the Israeli national team and one of the country's most veteran and respected sports professionals. Sheikht passed away on Wednesday at the age of 70. His funeral is scheduled for Thursday at 12:00 PM at the Har HaMenuchot cemetery in Jerusalem.
Sheikht dedicated decades of his life to coaching and nurturing swimmers. Throughout his illustrious career, he trained hundreds of athletes, including Israeli champions, national team members, and Olympians. Alongside his national duties, he was a central pillar of the Hapoel Jerusalem swimming club for many years.
Career Beginnings and Olympic Legacy
Sheikht began his professional path in Kazakhstan, where he was born, raised, and completed academic studies in sports. Early in his coaching career, he led a local team to a national championship. Between 1985 and 1991, he coached within the Soviet Union national team, and from 1989 to 1991, he served as the head coach of the Kazakhstan national team, guiding two swimmers to the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
In the early 1990s, Sheikht immigrated to Israel and quickly integrated into the upper echelons of local swimming. Starting in 1991, he coached at Hapoel Jerusalem, later serving as head coach and sporting director. Alongside his work in Jerusalem, he co-led the Israeli national team alongside Dr. Leonid Kaufman from the 1990s until 2004, leading the squad to three Olympic appearances.
Tributes and Family Legacy
Among the notable swimmers he coached throughout his career were Vadim Alexeev, Yoav Meiri, Tomer Frankel, and Alexei Glivinsky, as well as Liran Konovalov, David Gamburg, Roni Boehwe, and Nastia Korotkov. In August 2024, the Israel Swimming Association presented him with a lifetime achievement award during the Israeli Championships.
Hapoel Jerusalem released an emotional statement:
With deep sorrow and a broken heart, we say goodbye today to Leonid Sheikht, the beating heart of Hapoel Jerusalem. Leonid was not only a legendary coach who reached the Olympic stage – he was a father, a mentor, and a guide for generations of swimmers.
Sheikht is survived by two sons, Yigal and Avi, both of whom followed in his footsteps within the sport as competitive swimmers and professional coaches.
