Shimon Peres recognized Maccabiah athletes

Peres calls on foreign Maccabiah athletes to stay in Israel
By Raphael Ahren and Oren Kessler
Last update – 02:37 24/07/2009

“This was the best Maccabiah ever,” President Shimon Peres assured thousands of cheering athletes Thursday night at the closing ceremony of the 18th Maccabiah in Latrun. Echoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s words at the Games’ opening gala two weeks ago, Peres called upon the participants to immigrate to, and compete for, Israel on the international stage.

Athletes at last night’s ceremonies were unanimous in their enthusiasm about competing in this year’s event, though their reactions to the Israeli leaders’ call for aliyah were noticeably more ambivalent.

“I hope some of you fell in love with us, because we love all of you without exception,” Peres said. Israel may find itself virtually alone on the international political stage, the president added, “but let’s be alone together and continue the journey of our grandfathers.”

Before and during the closing ceremony, athletes from about 60 countries proudly displayed their medals, traded T-shirts and buttons and reflected on the events of the last days.

“This is history,” said cricket player Elijah David, 22, of Bombay, India. “I was in Israel for the last Maccabiah, when we won nothing. Also, it’s the first time we beat the Israeli team in 16 years,” he said, beaming with pride.

Sean Senego, of Edmonton, Canada, said he was “overwhelmed” by the event. Asked which specific moment he considered his personal highlight, the 16-year-old soccer player mentioned his team’s victory against Germany in the match for seventh place. “Seventh place never felt so good,” he joked.

Nicole Meisner of Detroit garnered three medals. “We won against the best Jewish athletes in the world,” she said. “Of course it makes you think about doing it again.”

Asked if the prime minister and the president were able to convince her to move to Israel, the 16-year-old athlete answered: “Israel is really cool, but I don’t think so.”

But her teammate, middle-distance runner Dustin Emrani, who also won three medals, is seriously considering making aliyah in order to have a shot at competing in the 2012 Olympic Games. “It’s amazing how two weeks could possibly change your entire life,” said Emrani.

Star swimmer, chess grandmaster honored

Peres named U.S. swimmer Jason Lezak and Hungarian chess player Judit Polgar the games’ outstanding athletes.

Lezak, 33, set a new Maccabiah record in the 100-meter freestyle with 47.78 seconds. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, he anchored the U.S. 4×100-meter freestyle relay team that won the gold medal and set a new world record in Beijing. The team also struck gold in the 4×100-medley relay, and Lezak himself took bronze in the 100-meter freestyle.

Polgar, also 33, is considered by many chess observers to be not only the strongest female player today, but in the game’s recorded history. Polgar was granted the title of grandmaster at 15, making her at the time the youngest player – of any gender – to earn that honor. Ranked eighth in the world at her peak, she is currently rated 36 in World Chess Federation ratings, making her the only woman in the top 100.

Source: www.haaretz.com