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In September 15, 2000, the Israeli
delegation will march into the Olympic
Stadium - the eyes of the entire globe
straining to watch the greatest sporting event in the world — the Olympic Games in Sydney. The Israeli delegation will comprise of 35 top male and female athletes. Their mission - to maintain Israel's place amongst the prestigious league of countries whose athletes have won Olympic medals. Israel owes its admission to this category to three athletes: Yael Arad, winner of the Silver Medal in Judo at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games; Oren Smadga, winner of the Bronze Medal in Judo at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Game; and Gal Freidman, winner of the Bronze Medal in Mistral Windsurfing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
At the Sydney Games 2000, the "New
Millennium Olympics", 10,200 athletes
from 200 different countries will
compete in 28 sports, participating in 300 events that will last 16 days. The Israeli delegation will perform with an excellent team, that includes new immigrant athletes alongside native Israelis, and will compete in nine sporting events: Athletics, Judo, Wrestling, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Fencing, Kayaking, Sharp-shooting, Swimming and Sailing.
The delegation will include two European champions - Alexander Denilov in Olympic Airgun Shooting and Alexander Averbuch in the Pole Vault, as well as a group of highly skilled athletes who have won medals in European and world championships.
Israel's flag was raised for the first time
in 1952 at the Olympic games held in
Helsinki. Ever since we have attended
all the Olympic games, with the exception of the 1980 Moscow games, which were boycotted for political reasons due to the war in Afghanistan, by the United States and 60 other countries.
The 1972 Munich Games went down in history as the greatest tragedy in Israeli sports and the Olympic Games in general. 11 athletes, trainers and judges from Israel were murdered in the Olympic village by terrorists, and the Olympic flag was stained with their blood. The Israeli delegation will conduct a special memorial service in Sydney in memory of the fallen.
For the first time, the Olympic Committee of Israel has funded the cost of the Olympic preparations, thanks to a special allocation by the Israeli government over the past three years, and the recruitment of private companies who sponsored the Olympic delegation.
The Olympic Committee of Israel
