Olympics: Nevo can’t make the cut in 400m medley

Swimmers Gal Nevo, Amit Ivri finish 10th, 7th respectively; Judoka Arshanksi wins by unanimous decision,

By JOSHUA HALICKMAN
TOMMY ARSHANSKY (photo credit: Israel Judo Associatioj)
TOMMY ARSHANSKY
(photo credit: Israel Judo Associatioj)
Israel’s first day in action at the Olympics had mixed results as no less than nine Israeli athletes competed in various sports including swimming and gymnastics.
In the 400- meters individual medley Gal Nevo finished a disappointing tenth place overall and missed the finals with a time of 4:14.77.
Nevo the 2010 Bronze medalist in the European Championships had finished in 11th place overall in the 2008 Beijing Olympics but only landed up in fourth place at the recent European Championships this past May.
To date, only one Israeli has participated in a final at the Olympics in an individual swimming event, with Eitan Urbach making the 100-meter backstroke final in the 2000 Sydney Games.
That could still change as Nevo, a native of Kibbutz Hamadia will still have the 200-meters individual medley on Wednesday to join Urbach.
In the final held Saturday night, Ryan Lochte of the United States won the Gold medal, followed by Thiago Pereira of Brazil in second and Kosuke Hagino of Japan in third. American Michael Phelps finished in fourth.
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As of press time, Alex Shatilov, impressed in seventh position in the Men’s Individual All-Around Gymnastics competition, and placing a solid third in his expertise the floor exercise.
Shatilov took part in six disciplines during the afternoon in London, including the aforementioned floor exercise finishing with an overall score of 15.633, horizontal bars and scored 15.000, the pommel horse with 14.133, parallel bars where he scored 14.700, vault with 15.533 and 14.033 in his weakest discipline, rings. His total score of 89.032 will should be enough to land him into the finals.
Shatilov, who won his third career medal at the European Championships in May, where he snagged a Bronze medal in the floor exercise, is looking to add an Olympic medal to his impressive resume.
By potentially finishing seventh overall in the Individual All-Around Gymnatics Shatilov would take part in the final on Wednesday as well as next Sunday afternoon where he will have a chance to snag a medal in the Floor final.
Judoka Tommy Arshanski had a successful debut at the Olympic Games by winning his first match in the under- 60kg Judo competition. Only 20, Arshanski received a first round bye and took on Dutch judoka Jeroen Mooren in a long and intense bout.
After regular and extra time failed to produce a winner, the judges pronounced the blue-and-white competitor the winner by unanimous decision.
In his second fight, taking place in the round of 16, Arshanski went up against eventual Medalist Hiroaki Hiraoka from Japan and lost decisively.
Also on Saturday the tennis doubles duo of Yoni Erlich and Andy Ram advanced to the second round with a 7- 6, 7-6 victory over Spaniards Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez.
Sunday’s action will see Shachar Pe’er take on Russian sensation Maria Sharapova in Singles play.
Other Israelis who competed in the pool was the only Israeli female swimmer in London, Amit Ivri who missed going to the semi-finals of the 100- meters Butterfly by .04 seconds in her first round heat. Imri Ganiel, competing in his first Olympics finished 32nd overall in the Men’s 100-meters Breaststroke.
Felix Aronovich took part in the Individual All-Around Gymnastics competition and finished a respectable 19th overall with a combined score of 83.199. This is the 24 year-old’s first Olympic games.
More Israelis will be in action Sunday including Judoka Golan Pollack, Nimrod Shapira in the 200-meters freestyle swimming competition, rising superstar Yakov Toumarkin in the 100-meters backstroke and Valeriia Maksiuta in the Women’s Individual All-Around Gymnastics.