Despite falling ill with a cold, Lee Korzits still scaled the podium at the
dress rehearsal for the London Olympics on Saturday, finishing in third place
overall in the women’s windsurfing World Cup event in Weymouth.
Israel’s
28-year-old two-time reigning world champion was considering pulling out of the
event completely on Thursday, the way her colleague Shahar Zubari did, after
feeling poorly.
Korzits initially decided to skip Thursday’s second race,
but fortunately, it was canceled due to stormy weather, as were both of the
races scheduled for Friday.
Korzits was still struggling for fitness on
Saturday, but she chose to take part in the medal race nevertheless, and proved
just why she is considered to be one of Israel’s best medal hopes for London by
finishing in second place and clinching the bronze medal.
“I’m really
happy at winning this medal,” Korzits said. “I didn’t feel well during the event
and my target now as we enter the final stretch before the Olympics is to
improve my fitness and be healthy for the London Games.”
The Olympic
windsurfing competitions begin in Weymouth on July 30, with the medal race to
take place on August 7.
Poland’s Zofia Noceti-Klepacka dominated the
World Cup event to win the gold, while Spain’s Marina Alabau beat out Korzits by
13 points to take the silver medal.
Zubari, who dramatically edged Nimrod
Mashiah in the battle to be Israel’s lone representative in the men’s
windsurfing Olympic competition, finished in 23rd after deciding to pull out of
the event on Thursday.
Israel’s representatives in the 470 Class
competitions will be relatively pleased with their showings in Weymouth ahead of
the Olympics.
Gidi Kliger and Eran Sela came ninth in the medal race and
finished the competition in eighth place overall.
Gil Cohen and Vered
Bouskila ended the women’s event in seventh, finishing the medal race in second.
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