Israel announces its 5-athlete delegation to Sochi Olympics

Figure skaters Alexei Bychenko and the duo of Evgeni Krasnopolski and Andrea Davidovich, as well as short-track speed skater Vladislav Bykanov and skier Virgile Vandeput to represent Israel.

By ALLON SINAI
Israeli Olympic symbol 370 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Israeli Olympic symbol 370
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Israel is set to send five athletes to participate in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, two more than it did to the Games in Vancouver four years ago.
Figure skaters Alexei Bychenko and the duo of Evgeni Krasnopolski and Andrea Davidovich, as well as short-track speed skater Vladislav Bykanov and skier Virgile Vandeput were all named Monday in the delegation that will travel to Russia for the Games which begin on February 7, 2014.
Bychenko ended this year’s men’s event at the European Championships in 14th place and booked his place at the Olympics by finishing the Nebelhorn Trophy, the final qualifying event for the 2014 Games, in fifth place in September.
Krasnopolski and Davidovich also qualified for the Olympics in the Nebelhorn Trophy, ending the pairs’ event in 10th place.
All three figure skaters are based in Hackensack, New Jersey, where they train.
According to the Olympic Committee of Israel, Bychenko is expected to finish at least among the top 24 skaters in Sochi, while Krasnopolski and Davidovich should finish among the top 16.
A place in the quarterfinals of the 500m, 1000m and 1500m short-track races has been set as a minimal target for Bykanov, while Vendeput is supposed to finish in the top half in both slalom and giant slalom events.