David Kushnir facts for kids
David Kushnir in 1960
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Native name | דוד קושניר |
| Born | June 21, 1931 Afula, Mandatory Palestine (now Israel) |
| Died | October 18, 2020 (aged 89) |
| Height | 5-8 (173 cm) |
| Weight | 163 lbs (74 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Event(s) | broad jump (also known as the long jump) |
| Updated on 26 August 2016. | |
David Kushnir (born June 21, 1931 – died October 18, 2020) was an Israeli athlete. He was famous for his skills in the long jump. He also worked as a coach for track and field sports.
David was born in Afula, which was then called Mandatory Palestine. Today, Afula is part of Israel. He was Jewish. When David competed in the Olympics, he was about 173 centimeters (5 feet 8 inches) tall. He weighed about 74 kilograms (163 pounds).
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David Kushnir's Sports Career
Becoming a Champion Jumper
David Kushnir was a very talented long jumper. This sport is also known as the broad jump. He won a gold medal in the long jump at the 1953 Maccabiah Games. These games are a big sports event for Jewish athletes from all over the world.
He won another gold medal in the broad jump at the 1957 Maccabiah Games. This showed he was one of the best in his sport.
Competing in the Olympics
David represented Israel at the 1956 Summer Olympics. These games were held in Melbourne, Australia. He was 25 years old. In the Men's Long Jump event, he jumped 6.89 meters. He did not make it to the finals, finishing 25th.
He also competed for Israel at the 1960 Summer Olympics. This time, the games were in Rome, Italy. David was 29 years old. He jumped 7.20 meters in the Men's Long Jump. He finished 25th again.
National Success and Records
David was a top athlete in Israel. He won the Israeli Championship in the long jump many times. He won in 1960, 1961, 1963, and 1964.
Besides the long jump, David was also a national champion in other sports. He won titles in the 100 metres sprint, triple jump, and pole vault. He even held national records. He held the record for the triple jump for five years starting in 1954. He also held the record for the decathlon for six years, also starting in 1954. The decathlon is a competition with ten different track and field events.
Coaching the National Team
After his own competing days, David became a coach. He coached the Israeli national track and field team. He did this from 1970 to 1982. This means he helped many young athletes improve their skills.
He even competed as a veteran athlete. At the 1978 World Veterans Championship, he won the broad jump. This was in the age 40-45 category.
Football Player
David Kushnir was also a football player. He played for a club called Hapoel Balfouria F.C.. He even scored goals for his team. He scored against teams like Maccabi Netanya and Hapoel Hadera. This was during the 1954–55 football season.
After His Sports Career
After retiring from playing, David focused on coaching. He helped many athletes. One of his most famous students was Rogel Nachum. Rogel Nachum became a great long jumper and triple jumper himself.
