Israeli athletes competing in the 12th Maccabiah Games here took gold medals in men’s tennis and women’s volleyball but failed to gain ground on the United States’ medal total which reached 235 yesterday, with victories in three track and field events.
The U.S. team has amassed 104 gold, 84 silver and 47 bronze medals in the sporting competition which began July 16 and concludes today, with closing ceremonies scheduled for Thursday. Israel has a total of 196 medals — 53 gold, 62 silver and 81 bronze while Canada has taken third place in the medal’s tables with 12 gold, 14 silver and 22 bronze.
Israel’s Amos Mansdorf defeated Gilad Bloom also of Israel in the tennis singles, 6-4, 6-2 ,to win the gold. Israel also took all three medals in the men’s 800 meters, with Mark Handelsman taking the gold in record breaking time of I:49.29. Israel’s team took the gold and bronze in the women’s 400 meters, won by Orit Kolodny in 55.85.
Israel also won the women’s high and long jump, and won golds in men’s team foil fencing, women’s air pistol and volleyball. Israel also took the gold medal’s in men’s and women’s table tennis singles.
WINS FOR THE CANADIAN TEAM
For the Canadian team, Gordon Orlikow won the men’s decathlon event with 7,141 points and also broke the Maccabiah record in the 100-meter hurdles with 14.73 seconds. The Brazilian team, fourth in total medals, took the men’s air pistol competition. Marcos Stisin took the gold with a record breaking 556 points.
But it is the American team that has dominated the Games, particularly the swimming events. The U.S. teams have captured at least 27 gold medals in swimming competition, including the women’s 800 meter freestyle, won by Cheryle Kriegsman in 8:58.38. Teammate Ruth Grodsky won the women’s 200 meter medley in 2:25.82.
Rick Aronberg of Rochester, New York shattered a Maccabiah Games record last Monday in the 1,500-meter freestyle with a time of 15:55.39, taking 19 seconds off the previous record he set in the 1981 Games when he was 13 years old. American swimmers claimed gold medals in the women’s 200-meter butterfly and the men’s 200-meter individual medley.
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