The former Olympian — Shaul Paul Ladany was born in Belgrade, fled to Hungary during World War II and moved to Israel when he was 12 — began as a runner at age 15, back when long-distance running wasn’t a big thing in Israel.

In his youth, people would tell him he was “meshugana,” Yiddish for “crazy.”

Some, in fact, still see him this way.

Ladani, 82, survived the Holocaust, and again escaped death as a member of the Israeli Olympic team massacred by the Arab extremists in Munich 1972.

He is a racewalker and two-time Olympian. He set and still holds the world record in the 50-mile walk, and the Israeli national record in the 50-kilometre walk.