Everyone is talking about the bad state of Israeli swimming and how much that there is no chance for an Olympic medal. Hagai denies this claim, which comes mainly from coaches. At the time a Belgian newspaper published a list of young footballers and claimed that these are the players that will lead the local team to great achievements in the future.
That article was published at the height of Belgian football. One of the actors in the same article, by the way, was Kevin de Bryna. I would like to try to make a list of the kind in another industry. So please, here is the future of Israeli swimming:
Aviv Barzilai
Is perhaps the highest chance of Israeli swimming for a historic Olympic medal. This is a tall swimmer, about 1.75, she is 16 years old.
Specializes in Backstroke, her personal record in 100 backstroke is 1.03.74 minutes. She is less than three seconds from the Olympic semi-finals, four seconds from the Olympic finals, and five seconds from the big prize, an Olympic medal.
Barzilai moved recently to the United States to live and train with one of the greatest coaches in the world, Dave Marsh. One of the swimmers Barzilay practices with her at Marsh is Caitlin Baker, the 100-year-old Olympic champion.
Barzilai will be 18 at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, just like Baker in Rio. And it seems that this, together with the height and the times that will improve in the next two years, will make it possible to bring the first Olympic medal for Israeli.
Ofri Kemmer
This swimmer achieved a few weeks ago first place in 100 back in the Israeli junior championship with an amazing time of 1: 13.37 and all at the age of 11 only.
Just for the sake of comparison, Canada's Kyle Maza, who finished third at the 100-year-old Rio Olympics, made a 1: 26.15 at the age of 11.
Mia Nielsen of Denmark, fifth place in the same finals, did at the age of 11 the time 1:15.85.
So it is true that the Kummer medal is not yet guaranteed in 2024 or 2028, but with such a time at the age of 11 it is certainly possible to mark it as a very serious potential for a medal.
Lea Polonsky
With a 2:16.19 time in 200 mixed, 16-year-old Polonsky is about three seconds from the Olympic semi-finals. For comparison, the peak time of Katinka Hosszú at age 16 in this style was 2: 18.75. Yes, two seconds less than Polonsky.
And was given to those who are out of date is the Olympic champion and world leader in 200 mixed, so there is definitely something to expect from the Albatross from Haifa.
Ron Polonsky
The first Israeli to reach the Olympic finals was Vadim Alekseyev
in Seoul 1988. The only problem was that he was not yet Israeli, but part of the Russian swimming machine.
Thirty years later, it seems that Israel has finally grown up in a swimmer who will reach the Olympic final and may even finish sixth in the Russian-Israeli Alekseyev at the end of the 88th.
Polonsky (17) from Maccabi Haifa, Leah Polonsky's brother, holds a personal record of 1: 03.91 at 100 breast. Slightly slower than the peak of Adam Petty at the age of 17, 1: 03.28.
And it is also possible to mention Cameron van der Burg, the champion in London and Lieutenant Brio, who at the age of 17 stood at 1:04.36, or Cody Miller from third place in Rio, who at the age of 17 made a record time of 1:03.00, so Polonsky is definitely in the right direction for a medal in 2024 .
This article was partly translated from Ynet Kick by Hagai Zinger
As Swimminng Israel
“ I hope Hagai is right, but there some more years to the next Olympics in Tokyo2020 Paris2024 or LA2028” Follow us Facebook Twitter Instagram Store