Oren Azrad
Israeli swimmer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oren Eliahu Azrad (Hebrew: אורן אזרד; born June 19, 1976) is an Israeli former swimmer, who specialized in sprint freestyle events.[1] He represented Israel at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and also earned Southeastern Conference and All-American honors as a member of the University of Alabama's swimming and diving team, while studying in the United States
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Native name | אורן אזרד |
| Full name | Oren Eliahu Azrad |
| National team |  Israel |
| Born | 19 June 1976 Rehovot, Israel |
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 87 kg (192 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Freestyle |
| College team | University of Alabama (U.S.) |
| Coach | Jonty Skinner (U.S.) |
Azrad accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he trained for the Alabama Crimson Tide swimming and diving team, under South African-based head coach Jonty Skinner, from 1998 to 2002.[2] While swimming for the Crimson Tide, he received both Southeastern Conference and All-American honors in the 800-yard freestyle relay after finishing ninth from the 2000 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships.[3] At the U.S. Open on that same year, Azrad helped his team earn a third-place finish, following their relentless triumph in the 400-yard freestyle relay.[4] During his collegiate season, he posted top-ten career bests in the 50-yard freestyle (20.30), 100-yard freestyle (43.97), 200-yard freestyle (1:36.34), 100-yard backstroke (48.92), and 200-yard backstroke (1:48.26).[5]
Azrad also competed for Israel in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.[6][7] Teaming with Alexei Manziula, Eithan Urbach, and Yoav Bruck in heat three, Azrad swam the third leg and recorded a split of 50.68, but the Israelis came up short to sixth place and fourteenth overall in a national record of 3:22.06.[8][9]
