After four years of training and dreaming, 47 Israeli athletes have arrived in Rio looking to make their place in history. Here are their stories.
The State of Israel has had a long and sometimes fraught relationship with the Olympic Games. Although the new nation did not formally compete in the games until 1952, four years after it was founded, an official Olympic committee had already been established under the British Mandate in the 1930s; but Israel had to wait a long time before reaping the rewards of participation. It did not win a medal of any kind until 1992, and did not win a gold medal until 2004.
Most tragic, of course, was the murder of 11 Israeli athletes in a terror attack on the 1972 Munich Olympics. The Palestinian atrocity shocked Israel and the world, and led to a now-legendary intelligence operation to hunt down those responsible. In a small consolation, Shahar Tzubari, nephew of the lone survivor of the Munich massacre, won a bronze medal in windsurfing at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Today, however, things are looking up. As these photos demonstrate, Israel is fielding a formidable Olympic team this year, and there are several participants with a serious shot at the gold in Rio de Janeiro.
Among the most promising is judoka champion Yarden Gerbi, currently number four in the world in her weight category. Then there is Yakov Toumarkin, Israel’s leading swimmer, who won the silver at the last European Championships and hopes to place higher at the Rio games. Another competitor is a relatively new olah. Triple jumper Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko hails from Ukraine, where she competed on national teams, but she made aliyah to Israel in 2013 and, since then, has only risen in stature.
Israel’s Olympic team also contains a notable first: Israel’s first female wrestler to attend the games. So far, Ilana Kratysh has scored several medals in European championships and hopes to take the gold in Rio.
As these photos show, there is an astonishing diversity of other competitors: Gymnasts, golfers, martial artists, runners, windsurfers, badminton players, and others; all seeking to honor the Olympic motto: “Citius, Altius, Fortius” – “Faster, Higher, Stronger.”
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Banner Photo: Yarden Gerbi / Instagram
- PHOTOS: Faster, Higher, Stronger
Currently ranked number four in the world in her weight category, Israeli judoka Yarden Gerbi is considered one of Israel’s best hopes for a medal. Photo: Yarden Gerbi / Instagram
23-year-old high jumper Dmitry Kroyter has long been seen as a prodigy—he won his event at the 2010 Youth Olympics—but nearly retired two years ago after battling a thigh injury. Now recovered, he won a silver medal at the European Under-23 Championships last year. Photo: Courtesy
Shlomi Haimy is the first Israeli mountain biker to qualify for the Olympics. Photo: Shlomi Haimy / Facebook
Triple jumper Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko just missed out on a medal in 2012 when competing for her native Ukraine, coming in fourth place with a jump of 14.56 meters—13 centimeters behind the bronze medalist. Her jumping has improved since moving to Israel the following year, winning silver at the 2015 world championships and the 2016 European championships. Photo: Alchetron
Three-time Olympic rhythmic gymnast Neta Rivkin, currently ranked sixth in the world, will carry Israel’s flag at the opening ceremony. Photo: Bauken77 / Wikimedia
Israeli first lady Sara Netanyahu takes a selfie with the Israeli rhythmic gymnastics team, which won the 2016 European Championships. Photo: Kobi Gideon / GPO / Flash90
Or Sasson (in blue), who earned a silver medal at the 2015 European Judo Championships, is seen here winning the 2016 Tbilisi Grand Prix. Photo: International Judo Federation
Alex Shatilov, seen here at the 2016 Israeli gymastics championship, placed sixth in the men’s floor exercise competition and 12th all-around at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Photo: Yonatan Sindel / Flash90
The Israeli Olympic swim team takes a selfie in the pool. Photo: Yakov Toumarkin / Instagram
Swimmer Gal Nevo is competing in his third Olympics. He finished 10th in the 200m individual medley in London, and won the silver in that event at the European Championships earlier this year. Photo: Idobi / Wikimedia
Yakov Toumarkin placed seventh in the 200-meter backstroke at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He returned to London earlier this year to win a silver medal in that event at the European Championships. Photo: Yakov Toumarkin / Instagram
Dudi Sela, ranked 65th in the world, will be the first Israeli to participate in the men’s singles Olympic tennis tournament since 1992. Photo: Uri Lenz / Flash90
Former All-American Duke golfer Laetitia Beck, the first Israeli to qualify for the PGA or LPGA tour, will compete at the first Olympic golf tournament since 1904. Photo: Wojciech Migda / Wikimedia
400-meter specialist Donald Sanford grew up in Inglewood, California. He became an Israeli citizen after marrying Israeli basketball player Danielle Dekel, whom he met when they were both students at Central Arizona College. He was eliminated from the 2012 Olympics after being forced to run in his teammate’s shoes when his bag was stolen just before his qualifying heat. The 2014 Israeli Sportsman of the year, he lives with his wife and daughter in Kibbutz Ein Shemer. Photo: Misfitknives / Wikimedia
Shahar Tzubari won the bronze medal in windsurfing at the 2008 Summer Olympics, the last time an Israeli medaled. He is the nephew of former Israeli Olympic wrestler Gad Tsobari, the only survivor of the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre. Photo: Israel / YouTube
Badminton player Moshe Zilberman was denied a visa to compete in the 2015 world championships in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country. After an international uproar, Zilberman was able to compete. Photo: Badminton World Federation
Tesame Moogas qualified for the Olympics by running the Berlin Marathon in 2:15:29. Photo: RunnerScanner
Shani Bloch-Davidov is the first Israeli cyclist to qualify for the Olympics since 1960. She retired in 2004 to start a family (she now has three daughters), but rejoined the sport in 2014 and is now 88th in the world. Photo: Courtesy
Israeli sport shooter Sergy Rikhter came in ninth place at the 2012 Summer Olympics, missing out on the final by one point. Photo: Courtesy
Ilana Kraytsh is the first Israeli female wrestler to compete at the Olympics. She has won a silver medal in the last four European Championships. Photo: Courtesy
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