Over 700 Australian athletes nominate for Maccabiah in 2022
May 14, 2021 by Michael Puterflam
Read on for article
After an extremely successful nomination process, more than 700 athletes have applied to represent Australia at the 21st Maccabiah Games taking place in Israel in July 2022.
In the 24 hours prior to nominations closing, Team Australia received over 200 applications from prospective athletes in a strong showing of enthusiasm, trust and value that the Jewish community has for Maccabiah and its ability to bring together Jews from across the world through sport.
The Australian team will be represented by 42 teams in juniors, open and masters divisions.
For the first time, Australia will field both Youth and Junior teams in Netball.
Team trials and selection will commence in June, whilst athletes in individual sports have a qualifying period extending through to January 2022.
“The Australian Maccabiah Leadership Team is very excited to see so many athletes nominate to be a part of Team Australia,” said Head of Delegation, Barry Smorgon.
“The 21st Maccabiah is sure to be an incredible experience and opportunity for all participants after a tumultuous time around the world.”
Preparations are well on track for 21st Maccabiah Games. Maccabi World Union are implementing appropriate protocols to mitigate any risks posed by COVID-19. Team Australia is also taking every step to ensure the safety of all team members.
“The 21st Maccabiah is shaping up to be one of the best Maccabiot yet. Team Australia is taking every precaution to ensure that everybody who travels to Israel for Maccabiah will have a safe and memorable experience,” said Head of Games Operations and Sport, Sam Gamsu.
Gamsu added, “The dedication and efforts from all the officials so far – from team managers to coaches to leadership team members – has been outstanding and is a major reason why there have been so many prospective athletes nominating”.
In the lead up to Maccabiah in 2022, athletes will also have opportunities to hear and learn from past Maccabiah athletes, coaches and mentors.
Last month, a panel of some of Australia’s highest achieving athletes including; Steven Solomon, Sean Bloch, Jemima Montag, Jordi Swibel, Mel Maizels and Michael Klinger, shared their Maccabiah, Commonwealth Games and Olympic personal sporting stories via a Zoom open to the community.
