Introducing Israel’s Olympians: Imri Ganiel

Ganiel came just 17 hundredths of a second short of setting the Olympic Qualifying Time required.

By ALLON SINAI
Imri Ganiel 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Imri Ganiel 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Barely anyone outside the Israeli swimming world had even heard of Imri Ganiel until last month’s European Championships.
The 20-year-old entered the championships in Debrecen, Hungary, mainly to gain experience in a major event, but he ended up improving his personal best in the 100-meter breaststroke by over a second-and-a-half, also smashing the national record to reach the final in which he finished in sixth place.
Ganiel came just 17 hundredths of a second short of setting the Olympic Qualifying Time required by the Olympic Committee of Israel to be awarded an automatic place at the London Games, but he was added to the team nevertheless as one of its up-and-coming athletes.
Despite his recent stunning success, Ganiel will struggle to reach a semifinal in London even if he manages to repeat his Israeli record time of 1:00.96m in the 100m breaststroke.
However, considering how far he’s come in such a short time, it is anyone’s guess what he might accomplish at the London Games, which no one even thought he had any chance of reaching.