Medal race gaining speed
MACCABIAH AS the 20th Maccabiah ends its first week, Team Maccabi GB is battling for third place in the medals table against larger delegations such as Australia and Canada.
Israel and the USA, the two largest teams in the games, are vying for top place, but the British participants have accumulated 16 medals so far in a range of competitions including judo, fencing, artistic gymnastics, table tennis, lacrosse, bowls and rowing.
Fencer Nick Lakeland scooped GB’s first gold in the Masters foil and added a silver in the epee, with team-mate Richard Bernstein adding another silver in the Open foil.
Joel Nathan, Team Maccabi GB general manager, was satisfied with the performances so far.
“There have been disappointments, but overall we are on target to reach, if not exceed, the 23 medals we won in the last Maccabiah,” he said. “I guess whether we reach that number will define whether Team GB’s performance is a success or failure.”
Nathan singled out Zoe Harris as the GB star of the opening days with two medals in the artistic gymnastics — silver in the floor exercise and bronze in the uneven bars. Also impressive was the GB Under-18 girls’ lacrosse team, which won a silver medal after a 10-4 victory in the semi-finals against Israel, with goalkeeper Tash Leek one of the heroes.
Team GB went down 19-2 to the US in the final with Kezia Levy recovering after being carried off with an ankle injury.
Other medal winners included Sara Black with bronze in the half marathon, Phillip Bloom with bronze in the masters judo and Jonah Alfert in the judo under 55 kilo category. Samuel Deutsch added a rowing bronze.
The GB team is assured at least a silver medal in the Open Cricket competition having reached the Maccabiah final scheduled for Thursday. Captain Adam Brand’s team, which includes JC Sports Editor Danny Caro beat Israel, Australia and India.
The GB netball team also looks set for a medal after beating South Africa 48-16.
In football, the Open team reached the semi-finals with a thrilling comeback to beat Brazil 2-1 with two late goals, but the Masters were edged out in the group stage after beating the US 3-0. They needed a four goal win to progress.
Above and beyond the sporting events, the Maccabiah provided a lavish opening ceremony at Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium when a record 10,000 participants from 74 countries paraded before 30,000 spectators.
The ceremony included a dazzling medley of music, singing, and dancing with an emphasis on Jewish tradition, the customary fireworks and even an impromptu wedding when Canadian ice hockey team member Avi Steinberg surprised his bride-to-be Rachel. A chupah was hastily erected, a rabbi rolled out and the Canadian couple married in front of the crowd.
The Israeli delegation was the largest with 2,400 participants and the US the largest overseas contingent with 1,161 participants.
Bernard Davidson, Brian Green and Jack Mattey were the three flag bearers for the 400-strong Team Maccabi GB. American swimmer and Olympic gold medallist Anthony Ervin lit the Maccabiah flame and other torchbearers included basketball star Omri Casspi who has just joined NBA champions the Golden State Warriors.
Most of the events are being played in Jerusalem to mark 50 years since the city’s reunification.
Ervin went on to to win gold medals in the 100 metres freestyle and 4x100 relay in an impressive line-up that included fellow Olympic gold medallists Lenny Krayzelburg and Jason Lezak.
We are on target to beat our medal haul last time