2022 Maccabiah Games Explained

21st Maccabiah
Size:250px
Host City:Jerusalem, Israel
Nations:60
Athletes:10,000
Events:42[1]
Opening:July 14, 2022
Closing:July 25, 2022
Opened By:Isaac Herzog[2]
Stadium:Teddy Stadium
Previous:20th Maccabiah

The “2023” Maccabiah Games (Hebrew: משחקי המכביה 2022) took place in Israel from July 14–25, 2022, and are also referred to as the 22nd Maccabiah Games (Hebrew: המכביה ה-21). The Maccabiah Games are open to Jewish athletes from around the world, and to all Israeli citizens regardless of their religion. Israeli former Olympic judo medalist Arik Zeevi served as Maccabiah Chairman.[3] Approximately 10,000 athletes from 80 countries competed in 42 sports categories.

History

The Maccabiah Games were named for ancient Jewish warrior Judah Maccabee from the village of Modi'in, who led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire from 167–160 BCE. They were first held in 1932.[4] [5] In 1961, the Games were recognized as Regional Games by the International Olympic Committee. The Games are overseen by Maccabi World Union.[6] [7]

Among other Olympic and world champions, swimmer Mark Spitz won 10 Maccabiah gold medals before earning his first of nine Olympic gold medals.[8] The Games are the second-largest sports gathering in the world, by number of participants.[9] [10] [11] At the 2017 Maccabiah Games, the nations that won the most medals were Israel, the United States, Australia, Canada, and Hungary.

Opening ceremonies

The opening ceremonies took place on July 14, 2022, at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, Israel, which was also designated as the "Capital of the Maccabiah" for the Games.[12] Israeli gymnasts and Olympic champions Linoy Ashram and Artem Dolgopyat lit the ceremonial torch at the opening ceremony. Torches were carried by Tokyo Olympic taekwondo medalist Avishag Semberg; swimmer Anastasia Gorbenko; paralympic swimmers Mark Malyar and Arab-Israeli Iyad Shalabi, and Jewish-American-Israeli Olympic and major league baseball player Ian Kinsler. Israeli pop singers Eden Ben Zaken and Static & Ben El Tavori performed.[13]

United States President Joe Biden attended the opening ceremonies, cheering on the US delegation of 1,400 athletes—larger than the US delegation to the 2020 Summer Olympics.[14] He said to them: "I’m so damn proud of you... Godspeed and go get ‘em, guys."[15] [16] He became the first American president to attend the Maccabiah Games.[17]

Notable competitors

Israeli Olympian and European Championships bronze medalist Lihie Raz swept the artistic gymnastics open women’s events, winning six gold medals.[18] World champion bronze medalist Andrey Medvedev was part of the Team Israel squad that won the gold medal in the open men’s team.[19] Australian rhythmic gymnast and future Olympian Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva won five bronze medals.[20]

In swimming, Israeli Olympian, two-time world champion, and national record holder Anastasia Gorbenko won the women’s 200 m individual medley, Israeli Olympian, former European Junior Champion, and national record holder Yakov Toumarkin won the men’s 200 m backstroke, and Israeli Olympian and national record holder Meiron Cheruti won the men's 50 m freestyle.[21] Israeli Olympian and national record holder Gal Cohen Groumi won the men’s 100 m butterfly; he was at the time a rising sophomore at the University of Michigan and finished 10th in the 100 fly at the 2022 NCAA Division I Championships. Israeli Olympian Michael Laitarovsky won the men’s 100 m backstroke. Israeli Bar Soloveychik won a gold medal while breaking the record that had stood for 33 years in the 400 m freestyle.

Israeli Olympian Anat Lelior won the gold medal in women's surfing.[22]

Olympic swimmer and national record holder Denis Petrashov of Kyrgyzstan won the men’s 100 m breaststroke.

In badminton, Israeli Olympian Ksenia Polikarpova won a gold medal in women's doubles and a silver medal in women's singles, Israeli Yuval Pugach won a gold medal in mixed doubles and a silver medal in women's doubles, and Israeli Alexander Bass won a silver medal in men's doubles.[23] Lithuanian Alan Plavin won bronze medals in men's singles and men's doubles.[24]

In women's basketball, American Abby Meyers captained and won a gold medal with Team USA.[25] [26] In men's basketball, American Spencer Freedman played for the gold-medal-winning Team USA.[27]

Participating countries

The Maccabiah Games are open to Jewish athletes from around the world, and to all Israeli citizens regardless of their religion. The following countries (and number of athletes from each) are participating in the 2022 Maccabiah Games:[28]

Venues

The Games took place at venues in a total of 18 Israeli cities.[35] [36] The following are the venues of the Maccabiah events, and the events held at them, throughout the country:[37]

Sports

Athletes at the Games are competing in 29 different sports, encompassing a total of 42 disciplines.[38] Five new sports were added for the 2022 Maccabiah: 3×3 basketball, bouldering, surfing, motocross, and padel, and three new sports for women: ice hockey, football, and futsal.[39] Pickleball was accepted as an exhibition sport at the Games.[40]

Closing ceremony

The closing ceremony took place on July 25, 2022, in Live Park in Rishon LeTzion. Singer Noa Kirel performed.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Israel's Maccabiah Games Unveil Details for Star-Studded Opening Ceremony. The Algemeiner. June 21, 2022. Shiryn Ghermezian.
  2. Web site: Herzog says Maccabiah is 'a special moment of togetherness' for Jews around the world. Times of Israel.
  3. Web site: Pixellot Partners With Maccabi World Union to Stream Maccabiah Games for the First Time. S. V. G.. Staff. July 6, 2022. Sports Video Group.
  4. Web site: What are the Maccabiah Games?. Hiba. Yazbek. July 14, 2022. The New York Times.
  5. Mark Mietkiewicz (June 19, 2017). "The 20th Maccabiah Games: A brief History (Part 1)," The Canadian Jewish News.
  6. Web site: 21st Maccabiah Games kick off amid much fanfare; This year's Games are expected to be the world's largest sporting event for the year 2022.. July 14, 2022. The Jerusalem Post.
  7. Web site: International Committee . Maccabiah 21 .
  8. Web site: At Maccabiah Games, 300 Jewish American athletes become bar and bat mitzvah. July 14, 2022. The Forward. Hillel Kutler.
  9. https://www.gov.il/en/departments/news/israel-to-host-21st-maccabiah-games-21-jun-2022 "Israel to host 21st Maccabiah Games,"
  10. Web site: History of the Maccabiah Games. Maccabi Australia. 2022-03-11. 2016-10-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20161020064514/http://www.maccabi.com.au/Maccabiah/Page/1591/Maccabiah-Games-History/History-of-the-Maccabiah-Games.cfm. dead.
  11. Book: Bard . M.G.. Schwartz . M. . 1001 Facts Everyone Should Know about Israel . Jason Aronson, Inc. . 2005 . 978-1-4616-2715-9 . 85.
  12. Web site: Jerusalem . Maccabiah 21 .
  13. Web site: Lights-out opening of 21st Maccabiah. July 14, 2022. The Jerusalem Post.
  14. Web site: Israel prepares for Maccabiah, 2022's largest world sporting event; About 10,000 athletes from dozens of countries competing in the 21st Maccabiah Games will participate in 42 sporting events watched by tens of thousands of spectators. Here's how.. July 9, 2022 . The Jerusalem Post.
  15. Web site: The Latest: US oil industry urges Biden visit sites at home. July 14, 2022. WNYT NewsChannel 13.
  16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTGwgoxufhY 2022 Maccabiah Games Opening Ceremonies
  17. Web site: Biden is first US president to attend Maccabiah 'Jewish Olympics'. July 15, 2022. J.. Cnaan Liphshiz.
  18. Web site: Israelis Raz and Indig win open all-around gold, Israel and U.S. top team standings at Maccabiah Games. John Crumlish . July 22, 2022. International Gymnast Magazine Online.
  19. Web site: Israelis Raz and Indig win open all-around gold, Israel and U.S. top team standings at Maccabiah Games. International Gymnast Magazine Online. July 22, 2022.
  20. Web site: Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230531023912/https://sahof.org.au/award-winner/alexandra-kiroi-bogatyreva/ . 31 May 2023 . 31 May 2023 . Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
  21. Web site: Multiple Israeli National Record Holders Highlight 21st Maccabiah Games. Anya. Pelshaw. July 26, 2022. SwimSwam.
  22. Web site: Surfing - Maccabiah 21. maccabiah.com.
  23. Web site: Tournamentsoftware.com. www.tournamentsoftware.com.
  24. Web site: Tournamentsoftware.com. www.tournamentsoftware.com.
  25. Web site: Abby Meyers is Ready to Represent USA . maccabiusa.com . Dylan . Manfre . April 11, 2023.
  26. Web site: Meyers Helps U.S. Win Gold At 2022 Maccabiah Games . goprincetontigers.com . July 25, 2022 . April 11, 2023.
  27. Noah Friedman (June 30, 2022). "Maccabi USA Men’s Open Basketball Team To Embark on Variety of Journeys," Maccabi USA.
  28. Web site: Delegations – Maccabiah 21 . maccabiah.com . en-gb.
  29. Web site: Athletes enjoy dazzling Opening Ceremony. Shane. Desiatnik. Australian Jewish News.
  30. Web site: Jay Gotlieb represents The Bahamas in the Maccabiah Games. The Bahamas Weekly.
  31. Web site: Jerusalem hosts its first Maccabiah with flags, fanfare, first-timers . The Times of Israel.
  32. Web site: Team GB returns from Maccabiah Games with a record haul of 57 medals. Lee. Harpin. www.jewishnews.co.uk.
  33. Web site: Lietuvos sporto Klubas "Makabi" intensyviai ruošiasi dalyvavimui 21–oje Pasaulinėje Makabiadoje . 30 June 2022 . Lietuvos žydų bendruomene.
  34. Web site: Russians will compete in this year's Maccabiah Games, but Russia won't . .
  35. Web site: Israel opens largest ever Maccabiah Games this week, 'Jewish Olympics' that attract thousands. All Israel News. July 14, 2022.
  36. Web site: Host Cities . maccabiah.com . en-gb.
  37. Web site: Maccabiah events throughout the country . אירועי המכביה ברחבי הארץ. 21st Maccabiah. 2022-06-21 . he . 2022-07-24.
  38. Web site: Maccabiah – Maccabiah 21. maccabiah.com.
  39. Web site: 16 things you didn't know about the Maccabiah Games. The Jewish Voice.
  40. Web site: WPF Press Releases: 2022 World Maccabi Games . World Pickleball Federation . 20 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220720233453/https://www.worldpickleballfederation.org/wpf-press-releases/ . 20 July 2022.

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