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Lee Korsitz

(1984 - )

Lee Korsitz is an Israeli windsurfer, four-time windsurfing world champion and two-time Olympian.

Korsitz (born March 25, 1984) was born at Kibbutz Michmoret, Israel. She says she has always been in the sea since she can remember, but only started concentrating on mistral at the age of 13.

In 2002, Korsitz entered her first World Championships in Austria and placed 23rd. However, later that year, she finished in 7th place at the European Championships and the following year took home the World Championship title. After winning the unexpected title, Korsitz said: "My brother called me half an hour after my victory because his unit was going into Jenin. He told me how proud he is. My mom had two kids in battle that day. I won mine, and I hope my brother comes home in one piece to win his."

In 2004, Korsitz narrowly missed out on another World Championship, coming in fourth. That year, she also finished a disappointing 13th at the Summer Olympics in Athens. Soon after the game, Korsitz suffered a string of injuries that kept her out of international competition and cost her a spot on the Israeli team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Returning to sailing in 2010, Korsitz was determined to re-emerge as an international star. In 2011, she won a silver medal at the European Championship - her first medal since the 2003 world title - and she also later vaulted to a second world title that summer. In winning the second world championship, Korsitz became the first Israeli - male or female - to win two world titles in any individual sport. A few months later she added a third world title at the 2012 RS:X World Championships.

Korsitz returned to the Olympics in 2012 but left without a medal, finishing in sixth place. The following year, at the 2013 World Championships in Brazil, Korsitz won her fourth world title.


Sources: Jews In Sports