Aleksandr Averbukh, born in Russia two years after the traumatic attack, had earned pole vault gold in the European Athletics Championships for his adopted country with an effort of 5.85 metres, finishing clear of two German athletes on 5.80m - Lars Borgeling and Tim Lobinger.

Four years later, in Gothenburg, Averbukh retained his title with a vault of 5.70m.

Before becoming an Israeli citizen in 1999, Averbukh had operated as a decathlete for Russia, competing at the European Junior Championships in 1993 and finishing sixth at the European Indoor Championships in 1998.

He made an immediate impact in his new event, and for his new country, as he earned bronze at the 1999 World Championships in Seville with a vault of 5.80m.

The following year he won the European indoor title in Ghent before finishing 10th at the Sydney Olympics.

The year of 2001 also proved highly successful as, after missing a medal by one place at the World Indoor Championships, he earned a silver medal at the World Championships in Edmonton, clearing 5.80m behind the 6.05m Championship record set by Australia's Russian-born Dmitri Markov.

This was followed by a trip to Beijing, where he took part in the Summer Universiade.

A vault of 5.80m proved significant for him once more as he claimed gold ahead of Stepan Janacek of the Czech Republic, who cleared 5.70m, and Laurens Looije of The Netherlands who vaulted 5.60m.

After competing at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and earning silver at the 2009 Maccabiah Games, Averbukh retired.

In 2013 he briefly returned to competition, this time winning gold at the Maccabiah Games.