RSS
Israelis Won Medals and Performed Remarkably on Day 6 of the Olympics
Paris 2024 Olympics – Judo – Women -78 kg Victory Ceremony – Champ-de-Mars Arena, Paris, France – August 01, 2024. Silver medallist Inbar Lanir of Israel celebrates. Photo: REUTERS/Arlette Bashizi
It’s amazing how quickly things can change.
After five days of these 2024 Olympics, Israel hadn’t done anything to write home about — the most significant results were gymnast Artem Dolgopyat qualifying for the floor final, and the men’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay team qualifying for their final.
All that changed on Day 6.
For the first ever time, Israel won two Olympic medals in a single day — both of them in Judo.
Peter Paltchik started the day looking focused after defeating his Mongolian opponent in the first round. Then he had to take on a hometown Frenchman in the Round of 16.
Even though the Israeli was significantly higher in the rankings and considerably more experienced, the Frenchman was buoyed by the enthusiastic crowd and held his own with Paltchik. The match went on for an unusual amount of time: first through the four minutes of regulation and then another four or so minutes until Paltchik finally won.
Next up, he competed against the world champion from Azerbaijan. Paltchik looked like he leveled it up in the last 10 seconds, only for the point to be canceled on review. He then defeated a Dutch opponent, meaning he was playing Daniel Eich of Switzerland for a bronze medal.
With just 10 seconds to go and in the lead, it appeared he might be disqualified, but it was negated on review, leaving him to win the bronze, just like his coach Oren Smadja did 32 years ago.
Another 32-year first was an Israeli in an Olympic Judo final.
Inbar Lanir had a first-round bye, and then steamrolled her way through the competition defeating opponents from Mongolia, the Netherlands, and then Germany. In the final, she was up against the Italian, Alice Bellandi. Bellandi seemed more prepared for Lanir than the Israeli’s previous opponents, and Lanir was lacking a Plan B. With Bellandi up a point and the clock winding down, Lanir received a third yellow card and that was that.
But it was still an incredible achievement to win Israel’s second ever silver medal.
Lanir and Paltchik joined sailor Gal Fridman as the only Israelis to win multiple Olympic medals.
Also on Day 6, the jumping team of Daniel Bluman, Ashlee Bond, and Robin Muhr qualified in 9th position for the 10-team final, which is happening on Day 7.
The windsurfing competition concludes in Marseille on Friday, and Sharon Kantor and Tom Reuveny are both in the semi-final of their respective competitions. Only four competitors make the semi-final, and if they finish in the top two of the semi-final, they’re guaranteed to win a medal.
While the medalists get all the attention and plaudits, every single one of our Olympians has done a remarkable job just to get there — and has inspired generations of Israeli children who see what’s possible in each of their individual sports.
These athletes have inspired the next generation of Israelis to follow in their footsteps and become champion archers, triathletes, fencers, surfers, or whatever sport they want to play.
David Wiseman is the co-founder of Follow Team Israel, a page that shares the stories of Israeli sports to the world. You can find it on Facebook and Instagram. He is also the head of online reputation management at Buzzdealer.
The post Israelis Won Medals and Performed Remarkably on Day 6 of the Olympics first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Treasure Trove explores what security guards and athletes have in common
“Guard and Sport” was the theme of the trading cards included in packages of Dubek cigarettes sold in Palestine in 1939. This is the cover of the album in which the complete set of 216 cards could be stored. The image is of one of the Notrim (guards) who were Jewish auxiliaries, mainly police, armed and […]
The post Treasure Trove explores what security guards and athletes have in common appeared first on The Canadian Jewish News.
RSS
Iran Says Hamas Leader Haniyeh Was Killed by Short-Range Projectile
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh speaks during a press conference in Tehran, Iran, March 26, 2024. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that Palestinian terror group Hamas’ leader Ismail Haniyeh was slain in Tehran by a short-range projectile with a warhead of about 7 kg, and vowed severe revenge.
Wednesday’s assassination has aroused fears of direct conflict between Tehran and its arch-enemy Israel in a region shaken by Israel’s war in Gaza and a worsening conflict in Lebanon.
Revenge for the killing of the Hamas leader will be “severe and at an appropriate time, place, and manner,” the Guards’ statement added, blaming the “terrorist Zionist regime” of Israel for his death.
Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that killed Haniyeh hours after he attended the inauguration of Iran’s new president.
The New York Times, citing unnamed sources, reported that the explosion which killed Haniyeh was a bomb that was covertly smuggled into the guesthouse where he was staying in Tehran two months ago.
Israeli officials have not claimed responsibility.
The statement by the elite Guards force also accused the “criminal US government” of supporting the attack which Iranian media said was in a northern suburb of Tehran.
Haniyeh was buried on Friday in Qatar, where he was based.
The post Iran Says Hamas Leader Haniyeh Was Killed by Short-Range Projectile first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
RSS
Brandeis Center Calls Title VI Settlement with North Carolina State a ‘Step Forward’
Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law chairman and founder Kenneth Marcus testifying before the Knesset about campus antisemitism in the US. Photo: Brandeis Center.
JNS.org – The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law announced a settlement with the school on Thursday, following an early mediation process through the US Department of Education to address a complaint about campus antisemitism.
The student who filed the complaint reported incidents of harassment the university failed to address, including a tunnel filled with swastikas and someone screaming at her “Death to Jews! Death to Zionists!”
Brandeis reported that the academic institution will implement a non-discrimination policy aligning with the 2019 Executive Order 13899 and North Carolina’s House Bill 942 (also known as the Shalom Act) which utilizes the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.
North Carolina State will also revise training for students and staff, and conduct a campus survey to assess the depth of anti-Jewish sentiment.
Kenneth L. Marcus, founder and chairman of the Brandeis Center, called the settlement “a significant step forward in our efforts to combat antisemitism on college campuses.” He said the agreement “paves the way for meaningful change on both NCSU’s campus and on college campuses throughout the country.”
Robin Pick, senior counsel at the Brandeis Center, stated that “by committing to combat antisemitism in accordance with Executive Order 13899 and North Carolina House Bill 942, which apply to training, education, recognizing, identifying and combating antisemitic hate and discrimination, NC State has the opportunity to be a leader and a model for other universities in the fight against antisemitism.”
The post Brandeis Center Calls Title VI Settlement with North Carolina State a ‘Step Forward’ first appeared on Algemeiner.com.