Continuing our preview to the Team Maccabi GB squad who will be competing at next month’s JCC Maccabi Games, this week we focus on the Track and Field athletes.
Manager Talia Fennessy has assembled a squad of four – Jonah Craig, Noah Haacker, Oscar Jaffe and Zoe Kowall, all of whom attend the International American School in London. “We’re really pleased with the team”, Fennessy says. “As with many individual sports, recruitment can sometimes be challenging, so we are always looking to reach and engage more young people from across the Jewish community. These athletes have shown great enthusiasm for the JCC Maccabi Games and we are excited to see what they can achieve.”
The first international Games experience for most of them, Fennessy says that: “makes it even more exciting. While they have not competed at the JCC Games before, some have siblings or family members who have previously taken part, so they have heard first-hand about what a special experience it is.”
With Track & Field being an individual sport, the athletes train regularly throughout the year with their own clubs and coaches. Fennessy says: “Our focus as Team Maccabi GB is bringing the athletes together, helping them build relationships, develop team spirit and understand what it means to represent GB as part of a wider delegation.”
Saying how ‘incredibly excited’ the quartet are about the opportunity they’re about to face, she continues: “The JCC Games is much more than a sporting competition; it brings together Jewish young people from around the world through a shared passion for sport.
“I hope they gain lifelong memories, new friendships and a stronger connection to both their Jewish identity and the global Jewish community. Sport has a unique way of bringing people together, and the Games create experiences that stay with participants long after the competition ends.”
Delighted to be taking on the mantle of managing the squad, Fennessy says: “It means a huge amount to me. My first international Games experience was in 2013 when I was part of the Maccabi GB Junior Management Team. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to be involved in numerous international events, including being Head of the International Events department for Maccabi GB. To now be taking these young athletes on their first international Jewish sporting experience is incredibly special. Watching them discover everything that makes these Games so unique reminds me why I became involved in the first place.
“I’m also an avid runner, and athletics was my sport when I was younger, so leading the Track & Field team is particularly meaningful for me on a personal level.”
As to what she hopes they take from the entire experience, she concludes: “Of course, every athlete wants to perform at their best and medals are always a fantastic achievement. However, my main hope is that the athletes embrace the full Games experience.
“I want them to challenge themselves, make new friends from across the world and create memories that will stay with them for years to come. The opportunity to compete alongside fellow Jewish athletes on an international stage is incredibly special, and if they return home feeling proud of what they have achieved both on and off the track, that will be a success in my eyes.”
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