Solomon secured for Aussies
AUSTRALIA will take a 21-strong team to Israel to compete in the track and field and long distance events at the 19th Maccabiah Games, headlined by 400m London Olympic finalist Steven Solomon.
AUSTRALIA will take a 21-strong team to Israel to compete in the track and field and long distance events at the 19th Maccabiah Games, headlined by 400m London Olympic finalist Steven Solomon.
Solomon, who was captain of the boys football team at the 2009 Maccabiah Games, has been labelled “a huge coup” by Australia’s head of delegation, Harry Procel.
“Now that we have the two London Olympians coming in Steve and Adam Kellerman, we’re absolutely over the moon,” Procel told The AJN.
The 19-year-old will use the Games as one of his last chances to qualify for the individual 400m event at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow in August, where he is already competing in the 4x400m relay.
“I’m greatly looking forward to attending the Games,” Solomon told The AJN.
“The event and the country are both as beautiful as they are historic [and] I hope that my training over the next few weeks can put me in a good position to perform well.”
Sprinter and long jumper Robbie Baskin will return for his third Games – second as an open athlete – in solid form.
“Robbie has shaken off injury through the season and is running close to his best,” section manager Len Bogatin said.
“He is very keen to medal in Israel, where he will have to run 10.80 or quicker [10.79 placed third last Games].
The junior squad features Elizabeth Baral, a 15-year-old national pole vault champion, and Jemima Montag, the Australian under-16 three kilometre walking champ.
But because there are no walking events at Maccabiah, Montag will contest the 3km run.
Australia will boast a formidable 4x100m relay team, where Baral will be joined by Ella Regan-Lacey, Rebecca Metzger and Piper Montag.
“This Australian relay team will be hard to beat in Israel,” Bogatin said.
Australia will also feature prominently over the longer distances.
Tashi Kahn, 19, has come from nowhere to qualify, while Emily Nathan has the form on the board to medal in the open half marathon.
The masters half marathon runners are also a chance to medal – including silver medallist Jo Loewenstein (WA), Braham Shnider (Victoria) and John Mann (resident in USA).
AJN STAFF
Photo: AAP Image/Dave Hunt
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