Bernard Davidson, Brian Green and Jack Mattey have been confirmed as the Team Maccabi Great Britain flagbearers for next week’s Open Ceremony at the 20th Maccabiah Games.
June 26, 2017 14:26
The oldest member of the delegation, Masters lawn bowler Davidson has been involved with the Maccabi movement for over 50 years.
Davidson recalls the 15th Maccabiah as his “highlight,” when he participated with his late wife Patricia.
This year will also be very special as his granddaughters Jazi and Ella will also be competing in Israel as part of the Girls Football and Junior Netball teams.
Davidson is confident the MGB bowlers will challenge for a medal, “We have a strong squad and it is an honour to be asked to lead the team out at the Opening Ceremony with the Union Jack flag.
“Personally I want to wish everyone good luck and good sportsmanship for what promises to be an incredible Games for us all.”
Assistant team manager Green became involved with the Maccabi movement aged 21, when he managed of U14 Boys and U14 Girls Football for Glasgow Maccabi.
His continued passion for football saw him appointed in managerial positions for 11 International Games with MGB - six of them with wife Helena as Delegation Head of MGB’s JCC Maccabi Games squads.
Ahead of the ceremony at the Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, Green said: “I am truly humbled and grateful to be given the opportunity of carrying the Maccabi GB flag and leading out the GB delegation along with Bernard and Jack.
“It is an honour that I truly relish and I very proud to represent this great organisation and country.”
Mattey will fly the flag of Team MGB’s lead sponsor UJIA. Aged 17, Mattey has already made an impressive mark on Jewish sport having started his playing career with Maccabi London Lions at six.
His first experience representing MGB was at the 2013 JCC Maccabi Games in Orange County and then again in New Jersey the year after.
His sporting highlight came two years later as he continued to represent Maccabi GB, this time at the European Maccabi Games in Berlin where he won gold with the under-16 Football squad.
Mattey said: “It means so much to me to be a flag-bearers at the Maccabiah Games.
“My dad represented Team GB in 2001 and he always spoke about the Opening Ceremony in Israel as being of the most amazing moments of his life.
“I remember him saying that please God one day Daniel and I would experience walking into the stadium in Jerusalem like he did.
“I am so proud to have been chosen to hold a flag and I know my dad will be looking down on us all. Go Team GB!”
Commenting on the appointments, Team MGB General Team Manager Joel Nathan remarked: “Carrying the flag at the Opening Ceremony for any member of the MGB squad is the greatest honour we could give and I will feel great pride in walking behind Bernie, Brian and Jack who represent everything that Maccabi GB stand for.
“Bernie a veteran of seven Games fully deserves the honour of carrying the Union flag and what a great story it is that his two granddaughters will be competing at the same Games.
“Brian has been involved on the managerial side of MGB squads for the last 15 years and this honour is fully deserved for everything he has put into MGB. “Jack is one of the up and coming lights of MGB and I have high hopes that he will be a main stay in future MGB squads for years to come.
“Good luck Team GB and bring on Israel!”