Israeli Olympics Judo

[jewishfitness1976]

Israel at the Olympics
By Abigail Klein Leichman http://www.Israel21c.org
Efraim Zinger’s ringtone is ABBA’s “The Winner Takes it All.” A perfect choice for the secretary-general of Israel’s National Olympic Committee. As Zinger’s crew feverishly gears up for the London Olympic Games from July 27 to August 12, he speaks about his plans and dreams for the 40 or so athletes who will board the plane to London. “During the last century, since the estab- lishment of the modern Olympics, about 80 countries have never gotten any medal, and more than 125 countries never won a gold,” Zinger relates. “We’ve
won a few medals and one gold.”
To be exact, Israel has won
7 medals in 14 Olympic Games
since 1952. The first two were awarded at the 1992 Barcelona Games, both in judo. Since then, Israel has won at least one medal in each Summer Olympics.
“After coming back from each Olympic Games, we spend a year analyzing the Israeli athletes’ performance and making goals and targets for the next delegation,” says Zinger. “By the end of 2009, we had decided on three targets for 2012.”
The Olympic Committee’s first goal is to return from London for the sixth time in a row with at least one medal for Israel.
The second is to see a female Israeli ath- lete on the winners’ podium. “At Athens and Beijing, females made up 50% of our delegation, and it’s time to see them make another step forward, onto the podium,” “During the last century, since the estab- lishment of the modern Olympics, about 80 countries have never gotten any medal, and more than 125 countries never won a gold,” Zinger relates. “We’ve
won a few medals and one gold.”
To be exact, Israel has won
7 medals in 14 Olympic Games
since 1952. The first two were awarded at the 1992 Barcelona Games, both in judo. Since then, Israel has won at least one medal in each Summer Olympics.
“After coming back from each Olympic Games, we spend a year analyzing the Israeli athletes’ performance and making goals and targets for the next delegation,” says Zinger. “By the end of 2009, we had decided on three targets for 2012.”
The Olympic Committee’s first goal is to return from London for the sixth time in a row with at least one medal for Israel.
The second is to see a female Israeli ath- lete on the winners’ podium. “At Athens and Beijing, females made up 50% of our delegation, and it’s time to see them make another step forward, onto the podium,”
says Zinger. The final goal is to capture a medal in a new discipline. The Jewish state’s two strongest areas are traditionally watercraft sports and judo.
Zinger describes Israel’s Olympic team as “a group picture” of Israeli society. “You can find men and women, people from big cities and from little towns in the north and south, people born in Israel and people born abroad. This is Israel at its best. The common thing they share is that they are the best in their fields.”
Kosher food will be available at the Olympic Village dining room, which will seat 5,000 and operate on a 24-hour basis. The Israelis will stay at the village along with about 16,000 others.
This year carries special poignancy because it marks 40 years since Arab terrorists murdered 11 Israeli Olympic ath- letes and coaches at the Munich Games. Though the IOC has turned down requests from Zinger and from Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon to open the London Games with a minute of silence in com- memoration of the tragedy, the Israelis will hold a private ceremony.

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