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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
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3 min read

Emma 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.”