Israel at the Olympics - Wednesday roundup

Israeli swimmer Gal Nevo set a new national record Wednesday, swimming in the men's 200-meter individual medley.

Nevi came in at 1:59:66m – a three-seconds improvement of his personal best and will compete in the Olympic semi-finals. Nevo is ranked 12 overall

Israeli swimmers Anya Gostmelsky and Itay Chama were not as lucky, as neither of them made it passed the qualification heats in their respective disciplines.

Gostmelsky, who swam in the women's 100-meter backstroke and 100-meter butterfly set a personal best at 0:55:16 and ranked 22nd overall; while Chama, who took part in the men's 200-meter backstroke heat, came in at 2:00:93m and was ranked 27th.

Israeli sailors Udi Gal and Gidi Kliger had a disappointing race Wednesday as well, as they finished their sail at the men's double-handed dinghy – 470 in 11th place, slipping to the 16th place overall.

Gal and Kliger, considered on of the Israeli Olympic team's favorites for a medal, now find themselves nearly out of Olympic medals' reach.

Sailing duo Nika Kornitzky and Vered Buskila, who sailed in the analogous women's race, finished in eighth place and are holing on the no. four spot overall.

Laser Radial sailor Nufar Edelman's race was postponed. Edelman in currently ranks 22nd.

Earlier Wednesday, Israeli Fencer Noam Mills lost her first Olympic match, 15:8, to France's Laura Flessel Colovic.

Mills' teammate Tomer Or lost his first match in the Beijing Olympics as well, to Canada's Josh McGuire, who is ranked 13 in the world.

McGuire was considered a relatively weak rival for Or, but was able to trump the Israeli in a series of surprising moves.

"This is a failure. I lost a match I should have won and it's very disappointing… in the end, this is what sport is all about, you win some and you lose some. It's not the end of the world," he told reporters after the match.

Or and Mills' loss effectively ends the Israeli fencing team's Olympic bid.