Sport

SPORTS WEEKLY SPECIAL TOKYO 2020

Team Israel set for Tokyo Olympics

Israel’s Olympic bound baseball squad

BY DAVID SAFFER

Team Israel has a 90-strong squad set to make its mark at the Tokyo Olympics.

Israel’s biggest delegation, 47 competed in Rio in 2016, includes 55 men and 35 women across 15 sports and they have a number of medal prospects among 11,000 plus athletes competing for 339 different gold medals in a record 33 sports.

Twelve months on from the scheduled summer games postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Israel makes its bow in surfing, archery and equestrian. They are also represented at baseball, one of five sports making its Olympic debut, the others being karate, skateboard, sports climbing and surfing.

The Paralympic Games is held two weeks after the start of the Olympics when 28 athletes have Olympic dreams.

Israel is competing at its 17th summer games going back to Helsinki 1952 up to Rio four years ago. Israel boycotted the 1980 Moscow but any Olympics cannot be mentioned without recalling the 1972 Games when eight Black September Palestinian terrorists held hostage and murdered 11 Israeli athletes in Munich. The incident blighted the Games and all future Israel squads continue their legacy.

Former President Reuven Rivlin was on hand as Team Israel jetted off to Tokyo earlier this month.

Among dignitaries at Rivlin’s Residence were Ilana Romano and Anki Spitzer, widows of Yossef Romano and Andre Spitzer, who were among those massacred almost five decades ago in an incident that shocked the world.

Japanese Ambassador Koichi Mizushima, Igal Carmi, Israel Olympic Committee chairman and Yehoshua Dekel, National Paralympic Committee national president were also present to meet the Israeli delegation at a special ceremony.

Rivlin told Olympic and Paralympic delegations they had been chosen as they were the “best of the best” to compete at the “greatest, oldest and most important of international sporting competitions”.

Israel’s official uniform for the opening and closing ceremonies is inspired by the Star of David designed Israeli fashion house Castro as they have for the past six Olympics.

When it comes to genuine medal prospects Sagi Muki is reigning Judo World Champion in the 81kg weight class.

The Netanya athlete won the World Championships in Tokyo two years ago and is among the favourites for gold. This Olympics hosts the first Judo team event and Israel will participate.

Ukrainian-born Peter Paltchik also has a medal shot in the 100KG category. Paltchik’s family immigrated to Israel when he was 9 months old and settled in Rishon Le’Zion.

Rhythmic gymnast Linoy Ashram has a shot at glory and there are high hopes for Katy Spychakov in sailing for the RS X category after scooping silver at the 2021 World Championships in Cadiz, Spain.

Teen swimming sensation Anastasia Gorbenko participates in the 100 meter freestyle, 100 meter backstroke, 100 meter breaststroke and 200 meter individual medley.

Gorbenko won gold at the 2020 European Championship in Budapest but this is a step up, however taking on four events marks her as a special Olympian and someone to watch.

On the track Lonah Chemtai Salpeter won gold at the 10,000 meters 2018 European Championships in Berlin and gold in the World marathon majors in Tokyo last year. This summer she lines up in the 5000 meters, 10,000 meters and marathon, which is arguably her best chance of a podium finish.

Gymnast Alexander Shatilov will be at his fourth Olympic games whilst the Baseball team made history by qualifying for the Olympics when they won the Europe/Africa Qualifier in Italy in September 2019, defeating South Africa 11-1 at Parma’s Nino Cavalli Stadium in the key qualifying game.

The first Israeli team sport to qualify for an Olympics since the national football side participated at the 1976 Montreal games, Team Israel is one of six teams at the baseball competition.

During the Italian qualifiers, Israel defeated Spain, Italy and European champions Netherlands before a setback against the Czech Republic. Boasting a 3-1 tournament record, Israel faced South Africa for Olympic qualification. And in a stunning display, they held the South Africans to six scoreless innings. Israel sealed the win with an eighth inning three-run home run by Danny Valencia. Shlomo Lipetz closed out the game signalling euphoric celebrations.

The squad has a core of Israeli-born

Sagi Muki takes on Rustam Orujov (AZE) at the Rio Olympics

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

players from the IBA development program.

Following exhibition games, the baseball competition centres on two groups of three before the medal “knockout” stage day before the closing ceremony.

Group A includes host and World No. 1 Japan, Mexico (WR 5) and Dominican Republic (WR 7).

Israel (WR 24) begins Group B against Korea (WR 3) then defending gold medallists USA (WR 4).

The question now remains if Muki, Palchik, Ashram, Salpeter et al can join Israel’s illustrious list of nine medallists in history.

The Olympic Games starts on July 23th and run until August 8th. Television coverage is of the Olympics and Paralymics is extensive on the BBC and satellite. See TV guides for details.

ISRAEL’S OLYMPIC ROLL OF HONOUR

Yael Arad ...................(Judo SILVER Barcelona 1992) Oren Smadja..............(Judo BRONZE Barcelona 1992) Gal Fridman...............(Sailing BRONZE Atlanta 1996) Michael Kolganov ......(Canoeist BRONZE Sydney 2000) Gal Fridman...............(Sailing GOLD Athens 2004) Ariel Ze’evi.................(Judo BRONZE Athens 2004) Shahar Zubari............(Sailing BRONZE Beijing 2008) Yarden Gerbi..............(Judo BRONZE Rio 2016) Ori Sasson .................(Judo BRONZE Rio 2016)

Paralympian Gershoni inspired a nation

BY DAVID SAFFER

Five-time Paralympic medalist Yekutiel Gershoni passed away last week.

An acclaimed IDF veteran, historian and athlete, Gershoni received life changing injuries in a horrific bomb blast in the Jordan Valley in 1969 whilst serving in the IDF in the Combat Engineering Corps.

The explosion, rather than destroy his life, defined him as an inspiration to the nation.

Gershoni had responded to terrorists placing explosives close to the Jordanian border. A brigade doctor was close by and saved his life but it would be two weeks until he was told the extent of his injuries when a third bomb exploded in his hands.

Gershoni had both arms amputated, his eyesight and hearing were also impaired.

Within 12 months, Gershoni began an outstanding academic career at the Department of Middle Eastern and African History at Tel Aviv University, completing two degrees, and a PhD at the Jerusalem’s

Yekutiel Gershoni with his wife

PHOTO: DANA KOPEL

Hebrew University in 1982.

Appointed an Associate Professor at the Middle Eastern and African History department in 1995, Gershoni headed the department from 2002-4. President for the International Association for Liberian Studies in 2001, he also lectured at Stanford, Boston and Indiana universities.

Retiring in 2008, two years later he received an honorary doctorate from Ben-Gurion University.

Regarding his sporting prowess, Gershoni took part in four Paralympic Games.

At the 1980 Arnhem Games in the Netherlands, Gershoni starred for Israel, winning silver medals in the 100, 400 and 1,500 meter along with long jump bronze.

Four years later in New York and Stoke Mandeville he claimed 5,000 metre bronze.

Gershoni’s family told media outlets his death was unexpected and he had recently finished writing a book.

“There are few people who succeed in one sphere, he has succeeded and excelled in several,” they reportedly said.

Gershoni was born in Rishon LeZion in 1943, his wife, three sons and nine grandchildren survive him. Archery (1): Itay Shanny

Artistic swimming (2): Eden Blecher and Shelly Bobritsky

Athletics (9): Haimro Alame, Girmaw Amare, Marhu Teferi, Diana Vaisman, Adva Cohen, Selamawit Dagnachew, Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, Maor Tiyouri, Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko (flagbearer)

Baseball (24) Jeremy Bleich, Jonathan de Marte, Jake Fishman, Alex Katz, Jared Lakind, Alon Leichman, Shlomo Lipetz, Jon Moscot, Joey Wagman, Ben Wanger, Zack Weiss, Josh Zeid, Tal Erel, Ryan Lavarnway, Nick Rickles, Scott Burcham, Mitch Glasser, Ty Kelly, Ian Kinsler, Zach Penprase, Danny Valencia, Blake Gailen, Assaf Lowengart, Robb Paller

Gymnastics (10): Artem Dolgopyat, Alexander Shatilov, Lihie Raz, Linoy Ashram, Nicol Zelikman, Yuliana Telegin, Yana Kramarenko, Ofir Dayan, Natalie Raits, Karin Vexman

Badminton (2): Misha Zilberman, Ksenia Polikarpova

Judo (12): Baruch Shmailov, Tohar Butbul, Sagi Muki, Li Kochman, Peter Paltchik, Ori Sasson, Shira Rishony, Gili Cohen, Timna Nelson-Levy, Gili Sharir, Inbar Lanir, Raz Hershko

Cycling: (2) Omer Shapira, Shlomi Haimy

Equestrian (4): Ashlee Bond, Alberto Michan, Teddy Vlock, Danielle Waldman

Sailing (5): Yoav Cohen, Katy Spychakov, Shay Kakon, Noya Baram, Shahar Tibi

Shooting (1): Sergey Richter

Surfing (1): Anat Lelior

Swimming (13): Meiron Cheruti, Michael Laitarovsky, YakovToumarkin, Tomer Frankel, Gal Cohen Groumi, Ron Polonsk, Denis Loktev, Matan Roditi, Daniel Namir, Andrea Murez, Anastasia Gorbenko, Aviv Barzelay, Itay Goldfaden.

Taekwondo (1): Avishag Semberg

Triathlon (2): Ran Sagiv, Shachar Sagiv

Weightlifting (1): David Litvinov