Twenty-three countries, including the United States, are making preparations to take part in the Maccabiad which opens here April 2 and which is considered a world Olympiad in miniature.
The program of the Maccabiad will consist of eighteen forms of sport, embracing practically the entire Olympic program. All events will be held in the Fair grounds. The largest halls, namely the England and Palestine Pavillions, will be used for the indoor events, while in the smaller halls will be concentrated the dwellings of the athletes according to their various nationalities, with the advantage that they will be near the scene of activities.
TO REBUILD STADIUM
The stadium, which was used in the first Maccabiad, has become almost useless and must be reconstructed. It is of the greatest importance that the track should be without fault. The inner space, which will be used for football, basket-ball and hockey, will be pulled down and a new stand of larger and more massive proportions will be constructed to hold 40,000.
Recently, a private company has succeeded in beginning the construction of a swimming bath in Bath Galim, at which ninety men are working in day and night shift. It will be fifty meters long and eighteen meters wide and stands will be erected at the sides to seat 5,000 spectators.
GOOD TRACK WEATHER
The climate of Palestine is very suitable for track events. In most other countries, the track is impossible from October until March. In Palestine, this is the most suitable period for training for track events.
The Palestinian competitors will have six months training behind them at the time of the Maccabiad. The number of fast runners in Palestine is extraordinarily large.
In Tel Aviv there are Maranz, Sussman, Feiwisevitch, Steinberg, Salvador. In Ness Siona there are Levy; in Haifa the two Chassans and Weil. Their average time is about 11.4. In the 400 meters Palestine has Peter Staffel, who has a good chance to place. Eli Katz, the Finnish long distance runner and winner of the 1924 Olympiad in Paris is staging a comeback after an interval of two years and victory is expected from him. Training is taken very seriously and a preliminary competition against a services team is being arranged to round off training.
FOOTBALL SQUADS FIT
The Maccabi of Tel Aviv have made great progress in football, thanks to the efforts of their trainer, Pollak of Vienna. Every two weeks practice games are being played between A and B teams. Shortly before the Maccabiad, matches will be played against representative teams from Egypt and Syria.
Regular practice basketball games are being played between the best twenty-two of the best players in the country.
Palestine has a very strong team, composed mainly of former Austrian and German players. The team has a very good chance of gaining a high place in the Maccabiad. In all probability, a team from India will compete, which is very interesting, as hockey in India is of very good quality. The Palestinian team is playing ‘frequent matches against service teams.
Six boxers will represent Palestine, including the Polish champions, Birnbaum and Finn. During February, the Palestinian team will be matched with Syrian and Egyptian teams. Palestine is the only country to be represented at this sport.
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