Olympic racewalker Shaul P. Ladany’s life has been strewn with challenges – far more strenuous than his decades-long training regime.

Born in the former Yugoslavia in 1936, Prof. Ladany was sent to the Nazi death camp Bergen-Belsen when he was just eight years-old. After surviving the Holocaust, he made Aliyah with his family in 1948 and started an academic career at the same time as an athletic one.

His athletic accomplishments include winning the gold medal in the 100km walk at the World Championships in 1972, first place at 28 Israeli national walking championships, and six US championships. He received worldwide attention in 1972 as one of a handful of Israeli Olympians to survive the Munich Massacre.

Now Emeritus Professor of Industrial Engineering and Management at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Prof. Ladany has authored over a dozen books and 120 scholarly papers. He still holds a world record in the 50-mile walk, and the Israeli national record in the 50km walk.

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Photo: Shaul Ladany (center), winner of the 10km walk, on the podium during the 8th Maccabiah Games at Ramat Gan Stadium (1969).