New generation shine at Jewish Swimming Champs
There was a changing of the guard at the 61st annual NSW Jewish Swimming Championships on Sunday, with 15-year-old Josh Blumberg taking out the 100 metre blue-ribbon freestyle event for the first time. Mikaela Rifkin won the women’s title.
Another teenager, 14-year-old Kyron Israelsohn, came third in the men’s swim, and while a familiar face, Daniel Rifkin still came second in the marquee race, Blumberg’s win heralds a new era in Jewish swimming, with no Schnabl, Goldstein, Shein or Goltsman on the dais.
112 swimmers took part in the annual meet at Des Renford Aquatic Centre on Sunday, and given the lower profile of this year’s event after the Maigs, Maccabi Swimming Club president Anthony Goodridge was thrilled with the turn out.
“It was quite amazing,” Anthony told Maccabi News. “Since we were unable to put the energy into heavily recruiting for the event, I had expected around 80-90 swimmers.
“Just goes to show that there’s strong interest out there for the event.
From left: Daniel Rifkin, Josh Blumberg, Kyron Israelsohn, Beverley Bos
Below: Everyone having a go at the NSW Jewish Champs.
While the meet is always a chance for younger swimmers to get a taste of competitive swimming, Anthony adds that there was “still some really classy swimming on the day”.
“Josh Blumberg is really making the transition from age grouper to open swimmer.
“We can start to say: there’s one of the top swimmers in our community.
“He’s got the technique. When he fills out he will be scarily good.
“I think Josh and Kyron are the future of the sport amongst the men here in Sydney and I think they will probably end up fighting each other for the trophy for the rest of this decade.”
Blumberg won the Joe Bos Trophy for 13+ swimmer of the meet, while the 12 years and under prize was won by Elliot Grossberg, who won 5/5 races in his age.
As always there were a lot of Maccabi families involved and on a positive note, Maccabi NSW played its part during the meet, recruiting new volunteers to the club.
As mentioned in last week’s Maccabi News, the meet was swimming stalwart Beverley Bos’ last as a race official, and the club is on the lookout for a new generation of parents to put their hand up to help spread the workload on a new committee.
“Beverley’s last efforts with Maccabi won’t go to waste as we used a successful meet to find new people to help organise,” Anthony added.
For all the results and times from the meet, click here.
From left: 5-year-old Alexandra Coghlan – youngest swimmer at the meet; Robyn Grosz; Chloe Kovkin with her medal.
10 year old Amy Collins, Gabi Goodridge.
7 year old Gabi Balkin, 8 year old Matt Gordon, Riley Kovkin swims butterfly.
Elliot Grossberg (in CEE cap) dives in for one of his five wins.
