Lofty goal: Israelis target strong Olympic performance

Israel is setting a lofty goal when it competes in the Paris Olympics.

In a recent visit to their headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel Olympic Committee official Muli Epstein told DAILY TRIBUNE that they are eyeing at least four to five gold medals in the Summer Games that will open at the Seine River on 26 July.

Epstein, the director of the Science and Innovation committee of the Israeli Olympic council, said they expect athletes from gymnastics, judo, sailing and marathon to deliver and surpass their previous haul of two gold and two bronze medals in the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.

Tasked to carry the banner for Team Israel will be reigning Olympic champion Artem Dolgopyat, the 27-year-old artistic gymnast who is serving as the biggest threat to Filipino Carlos Yulo’s bid of winning the gold medal in the floor exercise event.

Dolgopyat, whom Yulo beat in the floor exercise event of the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Stuttgart, Germany in 2019, is said to be in great condition after collecting gold medals in the world, continental and regional levels.

He is training under the watchful eyes of local coaches at the Orde Wingate Institute of Physical Education and Sports in Netanya, which is just a 45-minute drive from the Israeli capital.

Aside from Dolgopyat, also expected to deliver are the sailing team of Tom Reuveny, Dor Zarka, Sharon Kantor, Gal Zukerman, Omer Vered Vilenchik, Shaki Kakon, Noa Lasri, and Nitai Hasson as well as long-distance runners Gashau Ayale, Maru Teferi, Girmau Amare, Lonah Chemtai Salpeter and Maor Tiyouri.

The sailors are said to be training with the use of Israeli-developed Artificial Intelligence system while the runners are also at their best after reaping honors in various tourneys around the world.

Also tipped to draw attention is the country’s 18-man football squad, which will see action in the Summer Games for the first time since 1976.

Epstein said they are ready to go all out and achieve their best ever Olympic performance since joining the Summer Games in Helsinki in 1952.

“We expect to win four to five medals in artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, judo, sailing, and marathon. We expect four to five gold medals and 15 to 18 finals,” said Epstein, adding that they will be sending a record number of 88 athletes who will compete in 17 sports.

Israeli-American swimmer Andrea Murez and Ukraine-born judoka Peter Paltchik will serve as their flag-bearers to show the world how much they have embraced diversity.

“It’s very important. It’s not only the gold medals, but for you to measure the quality and depth of the delegation you also have to count those who made it to the finals,” said Epstein, a well-respected sport scientist.

He said having a big delegation of 88 athletes is already an achievement, especially for a country like them that is being battered by war with a very small population of only 9.5 million.

“We’re going full blast in Paris. We have 88 athletes, including the soccer team which will be playing in the Olympics for the first time since 1976,” said Epstein, making special mention of the effort done by their national Olympic council president Yael Arad — the first Israeli to ever win an Olympic medal.

“We have 70 individual athletes and a team of 18 players — not bad for a small country like us.”