Israel’s young athletes can’t find the podium at the Youth Olympic Games in China

Linoy Ashram finished the Individual All- Around Rhythmic Gymnastics final in fifth place on Wednesday.

By ALLON SINAI
Linoy Ashram (photo credit: AMIT SHUSSEL / COURTESY)
Linoy Ashram
(photo credit: AMIT SHUSSEL / COURTESY)
The Israeli delegation ended its participation at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China, with yet another disappointing result on Wednesday after Linoy Ashram finished the Individual All- Around Rhythmic Gymnastics final in fifth place.
Ashram was hoping to win a medal in Nanjing, but she finished 0.225 points away from third place after recording an overall score of 55.625.
The 15-year-old, who performed exercises in the hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon, will have to console herself in the knowledge that she was chosen to hold the Israel flag in Thursday’s closing ceremony.
Israel sent 14 athletes to China in the hope of emulating at least some of the success from four years ago at the first Youth Olympics in Singapore.
The Israeli delegation returned with seven medals in 2010, four of them gold.
High jumper Dima Kroyter, Taekwondo fighter Gili Haimovitz and windsurfer Mayan Rafic were all crowned Olympic champions, while swimmer Yakov Toumarkin took two silver medals.
Rotem Shor won a bronze in the judo team competition, while Fanny Beisaron claimed a gold in the triathlon team event.
Eight boys and six girls between the ages of 14 and 18 represented Israel in Nanjing in athletics, judo, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, table tennis, triathlon, archery and windsurfing.
However, only one will return a medal, and that too came in a team event, with Idan Vardi claiming a bronze medal in the judo mixed international competition.
Swimmer Ido Haber ended the 400-meter freestyle final in fifth place, with windsurfer Yoav Omer also finishing in fifth.
Gymnast Artem Dolgopyat qualified for three finals, finishing the All-Around in 10th place, the floor in seventh and the vault in fifth.
“The level at the Games was extremely high,” said the head of the Israel delegation, Danny Oren. “Some of our athletes were unable to realize their potential and we will have to learn from that.”