Swimming: Israelis haul in five Euro medals
05/28/2012 05:54
Amit Ivri achieved a first when she became the first Israeli woman to win a medal at the long-course Europeans.
Israel’s swimmers will return home to a hero’s welcome on Monday after
completing an historically successful performance at the European Championships
on Sunday.
So outstanding were the championships in Debrecen, Hungary,
that Gal Nevo’s fourth-place finish in Sunday’s 400-meter Individual Medley final
in a time of 4:16.14 minutes was regarded as a relative
disappointment.
However, while Nevo came up just short in his attempt to
hold on to the bronze he won at the event two years ago, the championships in
Hungary look set to be remembered as a watershed moment for Israeli
swimming.
While in the past a single medal was considered to be a
successful haul from the entire championships, the blue-and-white team will
return to Israel with five medals on Monday, including an historic
gold.
Yakov Toumarkin took the first Israeli medal in Debrecen when he
finished third in the 100m backstroke before adding a second bronze in the 200m
back on Saturday, ending the final in a new Israeli record time of
1:57.35m.
At just 19-years-old, Toumarkin became the first Israeli
swimmer to ever win two medals at the same European Championships.
After
Jonatan Kopelev and Guy Barnea made history by taking a gold and a bronze,
respectively, in the 50-meter back final, Amit Ivri achieved another first when
she became the first Israeli woman to win a medal at the long-course
Europeans.
Ivri, who also set the criteria for the London Olympics,
claimed a bronze in the 100m butterfly final on Friday, touching the wall after
58.78s.
“I’m delighted with this medal,” Ivri said.
“Now I’ll turn
my focus to the Olympics at which I’ll bring Israel even more honor.”