The first-ever Youth Olympics begin this weekend and the Israeli delegation has high hopes.
By ALLON SINAI
The first-ever Youth Olympics begin on Saturday and the Israeli delegation has high hopes of returning home with several medals from the event to be held in Singapore until August 26.About 3,600 competitors aged 14 to 18 from 204 countries will compete in the same 26 sports that make up the current Summer Olympics program, with Israel sending a small but strong 15-athlete team.Dima Kruyter, who claimed the gold at the high jump competition in the World Youth Championships in Italy last July, is one of Israel’s best medal hopes.Anything but a place on the podium would be a big disappointment for the 18-year-old.“I expect to return to Israel with a medal,” said Kruyter.“I skipped this year’s World Youth Championships so I would be fit for these Olympics. This event is held just once every four years and it holds a special significance for me.”Other medal hopefuls include: windsurfing world junior champion Naomi Cohen, taekwondo fighter Gil Haimovitch and swimmer Yakov Toumarkin.“I’m entering the Olympics in good form and I hope to continue this momentum,” said Toumarkin, who won gold and bronze medals at the European Junior Swimming Championships last month.“I’m feeling very good ahead of the competition and I believe I can return home with an achievement.”
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