Israel at the Olympics – Monday roundup
Israeli team secures victories in swimming, sailing, tennis; Peer-Obziler match cancelled due to rain
Obziler was made eligible for the singles after several of the other players slated to compete announced they would be dropping out, however the match between the two was cancelled Monday due to the rains plaguing Beijing for two days prior.
Peer defeated Romanian Sorana Cirstea on Monday evening, 6:3, 5:7, 6:0 and made it to the second round of the Olympic tennis tournament. The second round will be against Ukrainian Vera Zvonareva.
In swimming news, Alon Mandel set a new national record Monday at the Olympics men's 200-meter butterfly heat. Mandel finished fourth, with a time of 1:59:27m.
Mandel suffered a great personal tragedy on the eve of the Olympics, when his father died in a domestic accident. The grief-stricken swimmer decided to stay in the competition to honor his father's memory.
Other Israeli swimmers were not so lucky. Shapira Bar-Or ranked 15th in the men's 200-meters freestyle; and Barnea settled for 16th place in the men's 100-meters backstroke.
Going strong was Israeli sailor Shahar Tzuberi, who finished first in opening RS:X Men windsurfing race, putting him in a position to win an Olympic medal. Tzuberi's teammate, Maayan Davidovitz, ended the women's race in the 13th position.
Israeli sailing team, Udi Gal and Gidi Kliger, had a disappointing start in the men's double-handed dinghy – 470 race, and ranked 11th in the competition.
Israeli fencer Delilah Hatuel was ousted for the medal race after loosing to Russia's Victoria Nishiki, 10:9. Hatuel, who suffered knee injury prior to leaving for Beijing, was eventually unable to defeat the reining world-title holder.
On the shooting range, Israeli marksman Doron Egozy ranked 41 in the 10-meter air-pistol competition. Egozy is still in the running for the men's 50-meters rifle 3-positions competition.
