Israel and the world Pt. 14 - Olympics Special

For this week’s Israel and the World, I can’t think of something more important than the Olympic Games. Only three days into the games, I present to you the Israeli Olympic team members. Ofir Golan, one of Israel’s best Olympic specialists, will provide you with a prediction for the Israeli athletes who are still in the game. So far, we’re not doing so well, but there’s still hope for some of our athletes to bring home a medal.

Men:
Donald Sanford- 400m (8/4)

: will reach the semifinals.

Zohar Zemiro- Marathon (8/12)

: will rank 30th or higher.

Women:
Jillian Schwartz – Pole vault (8/4).

she will have to fight hard to reach the finals, where she will meet with the world record holder and the Olympic champion: Yelena Isinbayeva.

Misha Zilberman- Men’s singles. Ranked 3rd (did not advance).

Artistic
Men:
Felix Aronovich- All around. Ranked 32 (did not advance).

Alexander Shatilov- All around and floor (advanced. Finals in 8/1 and 8/5.)

The biggest Israeli Olympic hope, and there’s a good reason for it. Has the biggest chance in winning a medal in Floor.

Women:
Valeria Maxiota- All around (did not advance.)

Rythmic
Neta Rivkin- Individual (8/9-10.)

Will come at top 10 in the finals.

Moran Buzoysky, Victoria Koshel, Noa Palathcy, Marina Shultz, Paulina Zakaluzny, Eliora Zholkovski- Team (8/9-11).

will rank 5th, 6th or 7th in the finals.

Artiom Arshansky- Men’s 60 kg (Did not advance.)

Golan Pollack- Men’s 60 kg (Did not advance.)

Losef “soso” palelashvili- Men’s 73 kg (Did not advance.)

Arik Ze’evi- Men’s 100 kg (8/2.)

: This is Ze’evi’s 4th time competing for an Olympic medal. His speed may not be like it used to, but his experience and good thinking may win him a place on the Podium.

Alice Schlesinger- Women’s 63 kg (7/31.)

she is ranked 6th in the world, so there’s a good chance to see an Olympic medal, but in when it comes to Judo, you can never know…

Men:
Shahar Tzuberi- RS:X (7/31-8/6.)

It all depends on the wind. But after winning a bronze medal in 2008, he defiantly has a good chance of standing on the podium once again.

Gideon Kliger and Eran Sela- 470 (8/2-9.).

after Kliger disappointing in 2004 and in 2008, this is his chance of leaving London as a winner.

Women:
Lee Kurzits- RS:X (7/31-8/6.)

Great expectations. May become the second Israeli woman to win an Olympic medal.

Nufar Edelman- Laser Radial (7/30-8/6.)

will rank in the top 15.

Vered Buskila and Gil Cohen- 470 (8/3-10.)

will defiantly finish in the top 10 and there’s a reasonable chance of winning an Olympic medal.

Men:
Sergey Richter - 10m air rifle (Did not advance); 50m rifle prone (8/3).

Can advance to one final at least. Everything will be determined on the spot and anything can happen.
 

Men:
Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or - 200m Freestyle (Did not advance.)

Imri Ganiel - 100m Breaststroke (Did not advance.)

Gal Nevo - 200m Butterfly (Advanced to the semifinals), 200m individual medley (8/1), 400m individual medley (Did not advance.)

Will reach the semifinals in 200m individual medley.

Yaakov-Yan Toumarkin: 100m Backstroke (Did not advance), 200m Backstroke (8/1.)

May be the big surprise of the Olympic Games and reach the finals in 200m backstroke.

Women:
Amit Ivry: 100m Butterfly (did not advance), 200m individual medley (Advanced to the semifinals)

will try to break her personal record, and qualify for the semifinals.

Anastasia Gloushkov and Inna Yoffe- Duet (8/5-6).

Will reach the finals.

Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram- Men’s double (Won round of 32.Still competing in Wimbledon.)

After failing in 2008, there aren’t any great expectations from the duo. But who knows? Maybe the lack of expectations will bring some good luck.

Shahar Pe’er- Women’s singles (Did not advance.)

After losing to Maria Sharapova, she is now waiting for the mixed doubles, where she may have another chance of winning a medal.