Shem-Tov Sabag

{{short description|Israeli former Olympic marathoner (born 1959)}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

| headercolor =

| name = Shem-Tov Sabag

| native_name = {{lang|he|שם טוב סבג}}

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| fullname = Also Shemi Sabag, and Shemi Sagiv

| nickname = Shemi

| nationality = Israeli

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|4|13}}

| birth_place = Haifa, Israel

| hometown =

| height = 1.65 m

| weight = 52 kg

| alma_mater =

Augustana College
University of Oregon (Bachelors in Exercise Physiology '86; Masters in Biomechanics and Gait Analysis '89)
University of Western States (Doctor of Chiropractic '93)

| occupation = chiropractor, triathlon coach

| relatives = Shachar Sagiv and Ran Sagiv, Olympic triathletes (sons){{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/for-israeli-triathlete-brothers-the-olympics-is-a-family-affair/|title=For Israeli triathlete brothers, the Olympics is a family affair|author=Amy Spiro|date=July 26, 2021 |work=The Times of Israel}}

| country = {{ISR}}

| sport = Running

| event_type = Races

| event = cross-country, 5,000 metres, 10,000 metres, 25K, half marathon, and marathon

| collegeteam = Augustana Vikings, Oregon Ducks

| club =

| team =

| turnedpro =

| coach =

| retired =

| coaching =

| worlds =

| regionals =

| nationals =

Israeli national marathon champion (1984, 1987)

| olympics =

| paralympics =

| highestranking =

| pb =

Half Marathon: 1:06:13
Marathon: 2:18:23

| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{ISR}}}}

}}

Shem-Tov "Shemi" Sabag; later known by the surname Sagiv{{cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/07/23/It-is-12-years-since-Munich-and-still-the/6698459403200/|title=It is 12 years since Munich, and still the...|date=July 23, 1984|publisher=UPI|author=Martin Lader}} ({{langx|he|שם טוב "שמי" סבג}}; born April 13, 1959) is an Israeli former Olympic marathoner, former triathlon coach, and currently a chiropractor.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sa/shem-tov-sabag-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418085017/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sa/shem-tov-sabag-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-04-18|title=Shem-Tov Sabag Bio, Stats, and Results|publisher=sports-reference.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.olympic.org/shemtov-sabag|title=Shemtov Sabag - Olympic Athletics - Israel|date=15 June 2016|publisher=Olympic.org}} He competed for Israel at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He won both the 1984 Lake County Marathon, and the 1989 Vancouver Marathon. His sons Shachar Sagiv and Ran Sagiv have both competed in the Olympics in the triathlon.

Early and personal life

Sabag was born in Haifa, Israel, later lived in Zichron Yaakov and Tiberias, Israel, and is Jewish.Dotan Malach (December 29, 2022). [https://www-makorrishon-co-il.translate.goog/culture/557689/?_x_tr_sl=iw&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc "I believe that at my level today I deserve a medal in any competition, including the Olympics,"] Makor Rishon.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jewsinsports.org/Olympics.asp?sport=olympics&ID=615|work=Jews in Sports|title=Sabag, Shem-Tov}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/49938659/|title= Specialty camps offer variety of programs |page= 5|work=The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle|date=May 6, 1983}} He started running marathons at age 17, at the urging of a high school coach, but lost three years of training as he served with a tank unit in the Israel Defense Forces.{{Cite web|url=https://oceania.triathlon.org/multimedia/video/tokyo_2020_thoughts_with_ran_sagiv|title=Tokyo 2020 thoughts with Ran Sagiv|website= Oceania Triathlon|date=July 17, 2021|author=Zapier Bot}} He later changed his surname to Sagiv.{{Cite web|url=https://bikepanel.com/%d7%a9%d7%97%d7%a8-%d7%a9%d7%92%d7%99%d7%91/|title=TRI זה הכי אחי: שחר ורן שגיב - אלופי ישראל בטריאתלון אילת 2016! |first=כותבים|last=אורחים|date=December 2, 2016|website=Bikepanel}}

His sons Shachar Sagiv and Ran Sagiv have both competed in the Olympics in the triathlon, coming in 20th and 35th, respectively, in the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://forward.com/news/470120/israeli-olympic-triathlete-shachar-sagiv-tokyo-summer-games/|title=Israeli Olympic triathlete has family and country riding on his shoulders|author=Debra Nussbaum Cohen|date=24 May 2021|website=The Forward}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/shachar-sagiv-becomes-first-israeli-athlete-to-compete-in-saudi-arabia/|title=Shachar Sagiv becomes first Israeli athlete to compete in Saudi Arabia|date=30 October 2022 |work=The Times of Israel}} His son Shachar, whom he coached until 2021, will represent Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris in the Men's triathlon at Pont Alexandre III on July 30, 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ynet.co.il/sport/article/h1svq5qhc|title=ריאיון בלעדי | 'יצאנו לריצה ושם אבא אמר לי שמספיק. שאנחנו צריכים להיפרד'|first=סתיו|last=איפרגן|date=June 9, 2024|work=Ynet}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.triathlete.com/culture/news/triathlon-start-lists-paris-2024-olympics/|title=Complete, Up-to-Date Triathlon Start Lists for the Paris 2024 Olympics|first=Tim|last=Heming|date=7 June 2024|work=Triathlete}}

Education

He studied as a pre-med student at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, in 1983 and 1984.{{cite web|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1984/04/30/page/E12/article/running|title=Running |date=April 30, 1984|work=The Chicago Tribune}} In the summer of 1983, between semesters at Augustana, he worked at Camp Interlaken, developing a running program.

In the winter of 1984-85, he transferred to the University of Oregon, in Eugene, Oregon.[https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e790a23f3b4fb4a1e9f78c4/t/6047ce2b01565a46f91314de/1615318575261/OTC+02+February+1985.pdf "The Team"], Inside Oregon Track Newsletter, February 1985, Number 1. In 1986 he obtained a bachelor's degree from the University of Oregon in exercise physiology.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chiro-nsa.co.il/%d7%93%d7%a8-%d7%a9%d7%9e%d7%99-%d7%a9%d7%92%d7%99%d7%91/|work=chiro-nsa.co.il|title=ד"ר שמי שגיב - כירופרקט | המרכז לכירופרקטיקה NSA ישראל}}

From 1986 to 1989 he studied biomechanics and gait analysis as a graduate student at the University of Oregon, earning a master's degree. During that time, he ran for a year for the Oregon Ducks.[https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/2004260239/1987-11-02/ed-1/seq-5/ "Streetwise,"] Oregon Daily Emerald, November 2, 1987, p. 5.{{Cite web|url=https://goducks.com/sports/2006/4/7/266209|title=Track & Field|website=University of Oregon Athletics}}{{Cite web|url=https://goducks.com/news/2021/8/1/track-and-field-uo-olympians|title=UO Olympians|website=University of Oregon Athletics}}{{Cite web|url=https://uoregon_ftp.sidearmsports.com/www.goducks.com/pdf7/135635.pdf|title=Oregon Men's Cross Country History|work=Oregon Cross Country|year=2007}}

From 1989 to 1993 he studied at the University of Western States in Portland, Oregon, earning a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, and is now a chiropractor.

Running career

=1983–84; 2x All American, 2x CCIW 5,000 meter champion, CCIW cross-country champion, Lake County Marathon champion=

At Augustana College, he was an All-American in cross-country in 1983 and 1984.[https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/augustana.sidearmsports.com/documents/2022/8/16/2021mccRecordBook.pdf "Year-by-year records,"] Augustana Men's Cross-Country Record Book– 2021. In 1983, he was the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) 5,000 meter champion, and won the silver medal in the CCIW Cross-Country championship, with a time of 24.49.{{Cite web|url=https://issuu.com/cciw/docs/cc_program09|title=Men's Individual Champions |author= Mike Krizman|date=October 23, 2009|website=2009 CCIW Cross Country Championship Program}}{{Cite web|url=https://collections.carli.illinois.edu/digital/collection/aug_observer/id/19290/|title=Cross Country Looks Ahead|website=Augustana Observer|date=September 14, 1983|page=8}} In November 1983, he came in 8th in the NCAA Men's Division III Cross Country Championship in Newport News, Virginia.

In May 1984, in a season in which he was co-captain of the Augustana Vikings Track and Field team, he came in 2nd in the 10,000 meters (in 30:18.48) and 6th in the 5,000 meters, at the NCAA Division III men's outdoor track and field championships in Northfield, Minnesota.{{Cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/05/25/Track-Results-NCAA-Division-III-Track-and-Field-Championships-At-Northfield-Minn-May-25/9008454305600/|title=Track Results NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships At Northfield, Minn., May 25|date=May 25, 1984|website=UPI}} He also set the record in the CCIW 5,000 meters in 1984 (while winning the title for the second straight year), with a time of 14:24.36 (still a CCIW championships record as of 2021), and that year also set the Credit Island Park four-mile course record with a time of 19:33 (as of 2009, that was still a school record in the four-mile).[https://nparku_ftp.sidearmsports.com/custompages/TrackField/2021/2021%20CCIW%20Men%27s%20Track%20&%20Field%20Championships%20-%20Final%20Results.pdf "Men 5000 Meter Run,"] CCIW Championships; Augustana College Results.[https://augustana.net/documents/athletics/Media%20Guides/2009-10/Men%27sCrossCountry.pdf "Statistics,"] 2009 Men’s Cross Country Media Guide.[https://static.cciw.org/custompages/CCIW_Links/Outdoor_TrackField/History/OTF_Records.pdf "Statistics,"] CCIW Outdoor Track & Field History.{{Cite web|url=https://results.wayzatatiming.com/meets/36850/reports/records|title= Records: CCIW Championships |website=Athletic Live}} In 1984 he won the CCIW cross-country championship, with a time of 24:52.7, after having won the silver medal in 1983, and also won the Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Indiana, with a time of 24.06.Dave Andrzejewski (October 9, 1984). [https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=lanthorn_vol19 "Harriers pace to top twenty finish at Notre Dame,"] The Lanthom, p. 10.[https://static.cciw.org/custompages/CCIW_Links/CrossCountry/History/CC_Records.pdf "CCIW Men’s Cross Country History,"] CCIW. He was named team MVP in both 1983 and 1984.

In April 1984 he won his first marathon in his eighth race at that distance, in Chicago, Illinois, in the Lake County Marathon in 2:21:47.

His personal best time in the marathon was 2:18:23, which he ran in June 1984 in Duluth, Minnesota.

= 1984 Summer Olympics=

He competed for Israel at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 25. He had qualified with his time in his third marathon in three and a half months.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chiropract.co.il/%d7%9b%d7%aa%d7%91%d7%95%d7%aa-%d7%a2%d7%9c-%d7%93%d7%a8-%d7%a9%d7%92%d7%99%d7%91/|title=כתבות על ד"ר שגיב|date=January 27, 2016|website=chiropract.co.il}} Running in the Men's Marathon in August 1984 he came in 60th out of 107 competitors, with a time of 2-31:34.{{Cite web|url=https://worldathletics.org/athletes/israel/shem-tov-sabag-14445326|title=Shem-Tov SABAG | Profile|website=World Athletics}} When he competed in the Olympics, Sabag was {{convert|5|ft|6|in|cm}} tall and weighed {{convert|139|lb|kg}}. Speaking of the Munich Massacre, which had taken place 12 years earlier at the Olympics, he said: "As a representative of Israel, I am here to do what they tried to do. We are here to continue their job."

=1984–present; Israel national marathon champion, Vancouver Marathon champion=

In December 1984 he won the silver medal in the Tiberias Marathon in Israel, with a time of 2:22:15, behind British marathoner Lindsay Robertson, and won the Israeli national marathon championship.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/nc/isr.htm|title=Israeli Championships|website=GBR Athletics}}{{Cite web|url=https://arrs.run/NC_MaraISR.htm|title=National Marathon Champions for Israel|website=Association of Road Racing Statisticians}}

In the mid-1980s, after transferring, he ran for the University of Oregon Ducks track and field team, under coach Bill Dellinger.[https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e790a23f3b4fb4a1e9f78c4/t/6047d358933fae7a12e43746/1615319897436/OTC+07+Fall+1986.pdf "Oregon Update,"] Inside Oregon Track Newsletter, Fall 1986, p. 1.

His personal best in the half-marathon was 1-06:13, which he ran in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in September 1986.{{cite web|url=https://more.arrs.run/runner/14700|title= Runner: Shem-Tov Sabag|work=Association of Road Racing Statisticians}} Also that month, he won the New York Road Runners Club Back-To-Work 4-Mile Run in 19 minutes, 10 seconds in Central Park.{{Cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1986/09/08/elsewhere-olympian-shemi-sabag-of-israel-won/|title=Elsewhere. Olympian Shemi Sabag of Israel won …|date=September 8, 1986|work=Orlando Sentinel}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/163196712/|title=From Journal-News wires | page =33|date=September 8, 1986|website=The Journal News from White Plains, New York}}

In 1987 he won the Israeli national marathon championship in a time of 2:27:57.{{Cite web|url=https://arrs.run/HP_TibMa.htm|title=Tiberias International Marathon|website=Association of Road Racing Statisticians}}

In September 1988, he won the 18th annual NIKE/OTC (Nike/Oregon Track Club) 25K in Eugene, Oregon, with a time of 1:20:26.[https://www.mastershistory.org/NMN/11_1988.pdf "Final Running of NlKE/OTC 25K,"] National Masters News, November 1988, issue 133, p. 7.

Sabag won the Vancouver Marathon in Canada in May 1989 with a time of 2:19:41. He did so against a field of 1,109 finishers.{{Cite web|url=https://runvan.org/legacy/1989marathon/|title=1989 Vancouver Marathon|work=RUNVAN}}