With all due respect Israel's Olympic efforts are becoming a bit of a joke. Yakov Toumarkin has won a personal achievement in reaching the final - but only a personal achievement. If he wins a medal tonight, then that would become a national achievement. So the media hysteria is misplaced. OK, Arik Zeevi is getting past it at 35 - but why don't the sports experts in Israel reconsider who and why they send these sportsmen to the Games? Nations with smaller populations and more economically challenged than Israel such as Slovenia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Qatar - all have won medals already. Israel should focus on different areas of sport in the future. No one cares about judo or sailing. There are plenty of more impressive opportunities such as rowing, cycling and of course athletics. Israel has plenty of healthy young ex-Ethiopian men who could be groomed for long distance running and would put the country more in the spotlight and bring that much needed "kavod". What is needed is a complete re-think and investment - yes, money - in the right places.

I cannot believe what i have just read...groom ethiopian/israelis to run for olympic races is stereotyping at its worse....where on earth do you get just because someone comes from an ethiopian background or even an african background must be a fast runner etc... please get yourself an education before splurting out this somewhat stereotypical racist remarks... i have many ethiopian and african mates who couldnt run a mile for toffee but are very intelectual...i wonder if you also think that all us Jews are money grabbing bankers which the anti semite seem to stereotype us as ??? please just congratulate and support all our olympic athletes for what they have achieved just getting to the games with the added bonuses of a medal.

You misunderstood me completely. I was just making a point that a lot of Africans are good at running long distances as proved time and again in competitions - Kenyans, Ethiopians etc. And Israel should recognize that it could encourage these citizens to be Olympians. There was nothing racist in my comment at all.