Gad Tsobari

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Gad Tsobari (or Tsabari) (born 1948) is an Israeli-born flyweight freestyle wrestler and a member of Israel's 1972 Olympic team. He finished 12th (of 50) in his event, and was considered a possible medal threat at the Montreal Games of 1976.

Tsobari turned out to be the only survivor of the six athletes housed in Apartment 3 at 31 Connollystraße, which was the second apartment taken by Arab terrorists in the early morning hours of September 5, 1972 (see Munich Massacre). Although he was originally taken hostage by the Black September fedayeen, Tsobari was able to escape with the help of his already-wounded coach, Moshe Weinberg, who attacked the terrorists and was in turn shot to death by them. While Weinberg was fighting the terrorists, Tsobari dashed down a flight of stairs and through an underground garage, even as one of the terrorists pursued and shot after him. Tsobari found his way to the Olympic Village security building, where he informed officials about the break-in at the Israeli quarters.

Nearly 18 hours later, Tsobari and the rest of the Israeli Olympians not taken hostage watched the helicopters take off for Fürstenfeldbruck airbase, where the massacre would occur. In a harbinger of events to come in his life, Tsobari was heard to mutter "I've missed my flight."

In an obvious case of "survivor guilt," Tsobari drank heavily and required years of psychotherapy after returning to Israel with the bodies of his fallen teammates. Today, recovered, Tsobari is a wrestling coach in Israel.