Australians hold memorial for the 1997 Yarkon river bridge disaster

"Twelve years ago, at this place, fate dealt our family the cruellest of life's blows."

By JEREMY LAST
australia israel flags (photo credit: )
australia israel flags
(photo credit: )
The 19-year-old son of an Australian ten pin bowler Greg Small who died after a bridge collapsed over the Yarkon river as the opening ceremony of the 1997 Maccabiah Games paid tribute to his father on Friday as he prepared to follow in his footsteps. Josh Small will play for Australia in the ten pin bowling competition at the 18th Maccabiah which begins this week. Standing close to the location of his father's death, Small reflected on the poignancy of the moment. "Twelve years ago, at this place, fate dealt our family the cruellest of life's blows," he said. "My beloved Dad, Greg Small, lost his life in this place. "My dad had come here to take to the highest level within Jewish sport his passion for ten pin bowling. "Dad was bursting with pride and enthusiasm at having been selected for the australian delegation to the 15th Maccabiah in 1997. "We are fast approaching the opening ceremony of the 18th Maccabiah. I am here, in this place, at this time, and I will finish off what you started all those years ago. "I will do my best to win your pride and maybe a medal, further evidence that not even a tragedy of monster proportions can break the bond that will forever exist between us." The ten pin bowling competition will take place at MBL in Netanya from July 14 - 21.