Elay Chayot, 24, was born and raised in Korazim in Galilee.
He engaged in various sports, professionally in athletics and running from a young age. Elay was an outstanding athlete in medium distance running, and from the age of 16, he was the national champion in mountain running for three years. Although he could have been in an “outstanding athlete” position in the IDF, Elay chose to go to a military preparatory school for a year and then enlist in the army as a combat soldier. He served for ten months in the elite unit “Shayetet 13” and then moved to the “Maglan” commando unit, where his commanders required him to jump from a moving Hummer into a pile of thorns during camouflage training. Elay jumped and seriously injured his spine. For two and a half weeks, Elay was in a coma and underwent spinal fixation surgery. From the time of the injury until today, he has been in a very intensive rehabilitative treatment process, intending to get back on his feet and function at an independent and optimal level.
The challenge: A comfortable grip for a tennis racket
Elay does not have a good enough grip on his tennis racket following his injury. Today he ties the racket with the help of duct tape, but it is not comfortable or convenient enough and wastes money and time. Elay is looking for a creative solution to help him solve the racket’s grip in terms of comfort, strength, and flexibility of movement. The solution will help him achieve his goal of being a tennis player at the highest level and advance him towards his main goal: reaching the world summit and the Paralympics.
