Uc_Hilal

Sport:
shooting

Country Represented:
Israel

Years Competed:
1996

Olympic Info:
Polak was a member of the Israeli shooting team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and competed in three events. In the 10-meter air rifle competition, he finished in 33rd place with 581 points and did not advance to the finals. Polak's second event was the 50-meter free rifle, three position competition, where he finished in 25th place with 1,162 points. His final event was the 50-meter free rifle prone where he tied for 20th place with 594 points.

Career Highlights:
In 1980, Polak was dropped from the Soviet Union's Olympic shooting team because he was considered too old (26) by some officials. He then stopped shooting and spent seven years as a border guard, rising to the rank of Colonel. After emigrating to Israel in 1992, Boris became one of the top shooters in the country. Although he had not shot competitively for several years, Polak was encouraged to try out for the Olympic team by shooting team coach (and former Olympian) Marcel Cohen, who had himself emigrated to Israel from Bulgaria in 1990. In 1993, Polak finished third in the European Championships.

Polak had a terrific year in 1994, winning both the World and the European Championships and setting two world records in the process. He compiled a score of 591 in the standing and kneeling position, and 280 points for the kneeling event. Polak remained one of Israel's top shooters for the rest of the 1990s and is still competing at a high level in international shooting.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. July 15, 1954

Origin:
Moldova, Russia

< Previous |  Next >