Sport
Golden girls did GB proud
Joel Nathan hopes the success of Team Maccabi GB’s female athletes will inspire the next generation of Maccabiah stars.
July 27, 2017 11:39
Joel Nathan hopes the success of Team Maccabi GB’s female athletes will inspire the next generation of Maccabiah stars.
July 27, 2017 11:39Emma Garber finished the 20th Maccabiah Games as the most decorated athlete in the MGB squad.
Personal trainer Garber, 50, brought home four medals from Israel, including two golds. After completing the 22km bike time trial in 38 minutes empty-handed, Garber, from Lavenham in Suffolk, won bronze in the Jerusalem Half Marathon 50-59 age group. Despite experiencing stomach problems, which later resulted in her being sent to Hadassah Hospital on a drip, she crossed the line in two hours.
So severe was the heat in Israel, the Triathlon was reduced to an Olympic sprint due to temperatures of 42 degrees, with Garber securing bronze. She recharged her batteries to win the Open Water Swim two days later, describing it as her “strongest event”. Once again, the race was shortened from 5km to 3km due to the conditions but Garber stormed to victory in the Sea of Galilee. And she finished the competition on a high by winning the Maccabi Woman title.
Clutching her medals proudly, mother-of-two Garber said: “My first Maccabiah could not have gone any better. All my hard work and dedication paid off.”
Garber trains every day at home, combining 50km bike rides, 10-mile runs and two-mile swims. “The experience was exhausting but everything I could have hoped for and more.
“From start to finish it was an unbelievable experience — not only the fact I was competing against fellow Jews but to do it playing sport and in Israel made it even more special.”
Asked why it took her so long to compete in her first Maccabiah, she said: “It finally hit me what an honour it would be to be good enough to compete for my country. I used to play tennis for Middlesex and in South California but I never realised how hard it would be to live with like-minded competitors in an incredibly structured event.
“I now have a different determination and real belief in myself and my ability. God willing, I will do it again in four years.
“I plan to celebrate with a holiday in the Bahamas to spend time with my family. I won’t relax and will run, swim and cycle every day. It’s always been my way of life.”
Ellie Edwards secured three medals in track and field. The sprinter, who was also team manager of the MGB athletics squad, led by example with a stunning victory in the Women’s Open 200m final in Jerusalem. She smashed her personal best and the 25-second barrier for the first time to cross the line in 24:85.
Edwards is believed to be the first ever GB athlete to win gold in the same event as a senior that she did as a junior four years earlier.
The Birmingham University student also recorded silver in the 100m, registering a best time of 12:17. She also collected a composite bronze in the 4x400m relay, joining a team of three Australians.
Paying tribute, Nathan said: “It was an amazing feat for our girls and women to claim 15 medals out of the 37 medals we won.
“We were determined for our female athletes to win more medals than before and they did just that at the Games.”
Other individual medallists were gymnast Zoe Harris, who came home with silver (floor) and bronze (uneven bars), while Jessica Abrahams and Arianna Di Giammarino earned silver in the Table Tennis Junior Girls Doubles. Equestrian star Karen Fouzailov won double bronze.
There was also bronze for Masters’ tennis players Sarah Schechter and Diana Gold, along with Sara Black in the Jerusalem Half Marathon.
Team silver medals were registered in Junior Table Tennis, Lacrosse and Netball, as well as Open Netball.
“Emma was our superwoman, winning four medals in total in what for me is the toughest Maccabiah event,” said Nathan.
“Seeing Ellie beat her PB in the 200m was a great sight, as was watching Zoe Harris in the Artistic Gymnastics. She overcame her nerves to do a flawless routine on the uneven bars.
“The team spirit across our netball and lacrosse squads was amazing to see as they would just not lie down.
“We set out to win but also to inspire girls and women to play sport. What we have to do now is to build on this and try and engage more females so that we can take more to Budapest and beyond. Hopefully we will see them step forward when they see the results we achieved in Israel.”
Alan Rechtman was confirmed as the final MGB medallist, winning bronze in Masters tennis to take the overall medal tally to 37.