Sebalt inducted into Hall of Fame

Eliezer “Eli” Sebalt, a Gold medalist sprinter, became the second person in Palau’s history to be inducted into Palau’s Hall of Fame.

Sebalt holds five gold medals in 100m, 200m, 400m and 400m relay and 1600m relay from the first Micronesian Games held in Saipan in 1969.  “He is the only athlete in Palau that have won 5 Gold medals in one event,” stated Minister Baklai Temengil-Chilton, a member also of the International Olympics Committee.

Eliezer “Eli” Sebalt, who hails from Melekeok State, was one of the eight children of Sebalt Elechuus and Tosko Sebalt.  He is said to have been a very strong-willed young man, who trained on his own to be a strong runner and was selected to represent Palau during the first Micronesian Games in Saipan in 1969.

His sister Rebecca Sebalt-Ngirmechaet remembered him as very strong willed and very decisive individual.  “He would always say, figure out if its your heart or your head thinking and then follow it.” 

Mr. Sebalt after winning 5 golds for Palau, went on to attend University of Hawaii from 1969 to 1971.  He joined Unites States Army, serving in US Army Special Forces Green Beret until he retired in 1991 with rank of Staff Sergeant E-6.

Shortly after his retirement, he was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease and relocated back to his home in Melekeok.  He passed away on October 1, 1995, a year after Palau gained its independence.

He was recognized for his achievements by the 4^th Melekeok State Legislature and Melekeok baseball field was officially named Eliezer “Eli” Sebalt Ballfield in 1997 in his honor.

Sebalt became the second inductee into Palau’s Hall of Fame after Ymesei Ezekiel, the famed Palauan musician and composer who was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year, during Palau’s 25^th Independence Day Anniversary.