Schoolboy tennis star Josh Imber is off to Israel to compete in next month’s Maccabiah, almost 18 years after doctors gave him just a 20 per cent chance of survival at birth.
Josh weighed just 1lb 3oz when he was born at 24 weeks — and within 24 hours, his weight had dropped to just 1lb 1oz.
Medical staff at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham had little hope he would live, warning that if he survived, there was a high chance he would have disabilities and require a great deal of care. The first six months of his life were spent in intensive care.
But in the years that followed, Josh has thrived, both in the classroom and on the tennis court.
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The first six months of Josh Imber's life were spent in intensive care
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a resolute determination to win,” he told the JC. “It sounds strange saying it but I feel as though having had to fight to stay alive as a very premature new-born has made me develop an inherently stubborn nature.”
He will be cheered on in Israel by his proud parents — Charlie, 52, a liver transplant surgeon at London’s Royal Free Hospital and Angelika, 50, a mentoring project pioneer.
Also there will be his brothers, Noah, 22, and Zeb, 14, who is also competing in the Maccabiah tennis. The family are members of the Alyth Reform community in Temple Fortune.
Josh said that as well as affording the opportunity to compete at an elite level, participating in the Games would “further develop my Jewish identity”.
Mrs Imber recalled that from the age of five, Josh was rarely without a tennis racquet in his hand, spending hours daily on the courts at Hampstead Heath, close to their then home in Highgate.
“Charlie has always loved tennis and played himself in his youth so he may have picked his sporting interest from him. I was a competitive swimmer and athlete so sport was always something we encouraged our children to take part in.
“Josh was fascinated with tennis and played whenever he could.
“Even though he was smaller, even at [a young age] he had this conviction that he could do anything.
“He sees every day as a privilege. He always has a smile on his face. He says it’s because he knows he is blessed to be here.”
Applying the same determination to his studies, Josh shone at English and history at University College School in Hampstead.
“Academic work didn’t always come naturally to him so he had to really apply himself in a similar way to his practice on the tennis court,” his mother said.
He studied hard for his GCSEs during lockdown and with no tennis courts open, ran and lifted weights daily.
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Josh Imber is looking to serve up Maccabiah gold
“We could see his confidence growing daily. During that two-year period, he also grew from 5ft 4in to almost 5ft 11in.”
Josh now cuts a more imposing figure on the tennis court and his results have kept improving. Academically, his sights have always been set on an American college with his preferred choice being Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
He is predicted for two A stars and an A in his A-levels in English, history and psychology and is planning a year off to mentor under-privileged boys and further his tennis before embarking on a degree course.
His long-term ambition is to become a human rights lawyer.
Meanwhile, Josh is preparing for Israel as the top-rated player in the GB 18s tennis squad.
He says he recognises the sacrifices athletes have to make to be successful and has come to terms with the frustration of losing matches.
“Starting to compete at six years old, I still remember the intense anger and humiliation I felt at losing. But on my tennis journey, I’d like to think that I’ve matured and learnt to deal with the defeats, which have made the victories that much sweeter.
“Having the opportunity to represent Team GB as part of the Maccabiah Games is a real honour and fills me with excitement, both from the competitive perspective but also to further develop my Jewish identity.
“Playing any sport to a competitive level definitely requires some self-sacrifice and willpower but it has enabled me to meet personal challenges with self-confidence and a willingness to succeed, which I hope to translate into my higher education and subsequent career path.”
But he would eternally be grateful “to the incredible medical and nursing team at the neonatal unit of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, without whom I would not have survived.
“I am mindful of the gift of life through which I hope to be an inspiration to others.”
