Archive | 2012 | July | 27
A brief history of Israel at the Games
Israeli Olympic team members pose before heading off to Helsinki.
Some memorable moments, and one horrific tragedy.
Number of medals: 7
Debut: Helsinki 1952
Number of Olympic Games (including 2012):15
Number of participating athletes: 290
- Israel has sent a delegation to every Olympic Games since 1952, except in 1980, when it participated in the American-led boycott of Moscow.
-Israel has never won a medal in a sport in which the athlete wears sports shoes.
- Sailors Yoel Sela and Eldad Amirmissed a medal in Seoul in 1988 because they refused to competeon Yom Kippur. Boxer Yehuda Ben-Haim was also ousted for
the same reason. The sailors in the men’s 470 class, Ran and Dan Tortan, ignored the delegation’s instructions and participated that day. They were thrown out of the Israeli team.
- Vered Borochovski swam at Athens 2004 without her goggles, which had a torn strap.
-Michael Kolganov is the only Israeli medalist who wasn’t born in Israel. He was born in Tashkent before immigrating in 1995.
- Kayaker Rami Zur represented Israel at Sydney in 2000. Four years later, he represented the United States in Athens.
- Judoka Daniela Krukower was unable to claim the one Israeli slot for the -63kg
category so appeared for Argentina in 2004.
- Israel was represented by two cyclists in Rome, Henry Ohayon and Yitzhak Ben David. Neither completed the route: One collided with a cyclist and was injured, the other dropped out.
- The only Arab athlete to represent Israel in an individual sport was weightlifter Edward Maron, at Rome in 1960.
- Soccer referee MenachemAshkenazi officiated at the gold medal game (Hungary 2,Czechoslovakia 1) in Tokyo in 1964.
- Sailor Yoel Sela and rifle shooter Guy Starik hold the Israeli record for participation in four Olympic Games. In the upcoming games they will be joined by judoka Arik Ze’evi.
- The largest Israeli delegation was the one that traveled to Beijing in 2008: 43 athletes. The smallest was sent to Melbourne in 1956 and numbered only three.
- The soccer and basketball teams were invited toparticipate in Melbourne, due to the wholesale departure of teams. Israel refused, one reason being the Sinai Campaign.
- Sports Minister Limor Livnat could not restrain herself when windsurfer Gal Fridman won the gold medal at Athens in 2004. At the end of the medal-awarding ceremony, she burst onto the podium and embraced the surprised winner.
- In Montreal in 1976, Esther Roth became the first Israeli track athlete to make a final (100-meter hurdles, finished sixth).
The 11 athletes who were murdered in the Munich 1972 massacre: David Berger, Ze’ev Friedman, Yossef Gutfreund, Eliezer Halfin, Yossef Romano, Amitzur Shapira, Kehat Shorr, Mark Slavin, Andre Spitzer, Yakov Springer, Moshe Weinberg.
Source: Haaretz.com
AUDIO: Matisyahu releases a song about Tel Aviv! ‘Matisyahu – TelAviv’n’
A song for Tel Aviv…
His new album could be found here http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/spark-seeker/id530027293
Windsurfer Zubari leads out Israel at London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony
Shahar Zubari, who won bronze at Beijing 2008, leads out 38-strong Israeli delegation.
Israel’s Shahar Zubari led his country’s team into the opening ceremony of the Olympics on Friday night, bearing the Israeli flag.
The 25-year-old windsurfer from Eilat, who brought home a bronze medal from Beijing in 2008, was appearing at his second Olympic Games. He was joined by 37 other sportsmen and women from Israel.
London 2012 will mark the Israel’s 15th Olympic Games. The country has sent a delegation every year since its debut at Helsinki in 1952, except in 1980, when it participated in the American-led boycott of Moscow.
The largest Israeli delegation was the one that traveled to Beijing in 2008, numbering 43 athletes. The smallest was sent to Melbourne in 1956 and numbered only three.
Source: Haaretz.com
LET US REMEMBER the 11 Israeli athletes who perished during the 1972 Olympic games in Munich
LET US REMEMBER the 11 Israeli athletes who perished during the 1972 Olympic games in Munich
Miss Israel is Getting Ready for the Miss World Contest
As the 62nd ‘Miss World’ events officially begin today, 19 year old Miss Israel Shani Hazan is getting ready for the big show, representing Israel. “I’m going to China, it’s going to be very exciting, I can’t wait,” Shani said a day before she left Israel for the contest. Hazan also revealed that her golden dress, which she’ll be wearing at the contest, designed by Galia Lahav, has a Star of David.”The dress’ theme is Jerusalem of Gold,” Shani says, “It has a lot of stones sewn on it, and the Magen David is right under the neck.”
Even though she represents her country in a beauty contest, Shani is very modest about her body. “Everyone has their doubts about their body,” she said on Israeli radio 103FM, “I think I’m OK.”
“I’m not going to be a zero-sized model,” Hazan added in the lastest issue of ‘GO’ style magazine. “It looks much more alive than some skinny body that begs for a Cloisonné. I’m vegetarian for ideological reasons, for almost 8 years. I love animals and I feel egocentric when I eat something which deserves to live. But I love eating an omelet with white chocolate. I know it sounds strange.”