21st Maccabiah
Host cityJerusalem, Israel
Nations60[citation needed]
Athletes10,000[citation needed]
Events42[1]
OpeningJuly 14, 2022
ClosingJuly 25, 2022
Opened byIsaac Herzog[2]
Main venueTeddy Stadium
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22nd Maccabiah →

The 2022 Maccabiah Games (Hebrew: משחקי המכביה 2022) took place in Israel from July 14–25, 2022, and are also referred to as the 21st 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.[citation needed]

History

A sprinter at the 1st Maccabiah Games in 1932.

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]

Teddy Stadium of Jerusalem

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.[citation needed]

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.[1] 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.[9][13] Israeli pop singers Eden Ben Zaken and Static & Ben El Tavori performed.[1][13]

US President Joe Biden, together with President Issac Herzog and Prime Minister Yair Lapid, at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2022 Maccabiah Games.

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][4] 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 rhythmic gymnast Daria Atamanov, 2022 European All-Around Champion, at the 2022 Maccabiah Games.

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]

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.[20] 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.[20] Israeli Bar Soloveychik won a gold medal while breaking the record that had stood for 33 years in the 400 m freestyle.[citation needed]

Olympic swimmer and national record holder Denis Petrashov of Kyrgyzstan won the men’s 100 m breaststroke.[20]

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.[21] Lithuanian Alan Plavin won bronze medals in men's singles and men's doubles.[22]

In women's basketball, American Abby Meyers captained and won a gold medal with Team USA.[23][24]

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:[25]

Venues

The Games took place at venues in a total of 18 Israeli cities.[26][33] The following are the venues of the Maccabiah events, and the events held at them, throughout the country:[34]

Sports

Athletes at the Games are competing in 29 different sports, encompassing a total of 42 disciplines.[14][1][35] 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.[36] Pickleball was accepted as an exhibition sport at the Games.[37]

Closing ceremony

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

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Shiryn Ghermezian (June 21, 2022). "Israel's Maccabiah Games Unveil Details for Star-Studded Opening Ceremony". The Algemeiner.
  2. ^ "Herzog says Maccabiah is 'a special moment of togetherness' for Jews around the world". Times of Israel.
  3. ^ Staff, S. V. G. (July 6, 2022). "Pixellot Partners With Maccabi World Union to Stream Maccabiah Games for the First Time". Sports Video Group.
  4. ^ a b c Yazbek, Hiba (July 14, 2022). "What are the Maccabiah Games?". The New York Times.
  5. ^ Mark Mietkiewicz (June 19, 2017). "The 20th Maccabiah Games: A brief History (Part 1)," The Canadian Jewish News.
  6. ^ "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". The Jerusalem Post. July 14, 2022.
  7. ^ "International Committee". Maccabiah 21.
  8. ^ Hillel Kutler (July 14, 2022). "At Maccabiah Games, 300 Jewish American athletes become bar and bat mitzvah". The Forward.
  9. ^ a b "Israel to host 21st Maccabiah Games," Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, June 21, 2022.
  10. ^ "History of the Maccabiah Games". Maccabi Australia. Archived from the original on 2016-10-20. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  11. ^ Bard, M.G.; Schwartz, M. (2005). 1001 Facts Everyone Should Know about Israel. Jason Aronson, Inc. p. 85. ISBN 978-1-4616-2715-9.
  12. ^ "Jerusalem". Maccabiah 21.
  13. ^ a b "Lights-out opening of 21st Maccabiah". The Jerusalem Post. July 14, 2022.
  14. ^ a b c d "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". The Jerusalem Post. July 9, 2022.
  15. ^ "The Latest: US oil industry urges Biden visit sites at home". WNYT NewsChannel 13. July 14, 2022.
  16. ^ 2022 Maccabiah Games Opening Ceremonies
  17. ^ Cnaan Liphshiz (July 15, 2022). "Biden is first US president to attend Maccabiah 'Jewish Olympics'". J.
  18. ^ John Crumlish (July 22, 2022). "Israelis Raz and Indig win open all-around gold, Israel and U.S. top team standings at Maccabiah Games". International Gymnast Magazine Online.
  19. ^ "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. ^ a b c Pelshaw, Anya (July 26, 2022). "Multiple Israeli National Record Holders Highlight 21st Maccabiah Games". SwimSwam.
  21. ^ "Tournamentsoftware.com". www.tournamentsoftware.com.
  22. ^ "Tournamentsoftware.com". www.tournamentsoftware.com.
  23. ^ Manfre, Dylan. "Abby Meyers is Ready to Represent USA". maccabiusa.com. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  24. ^ "Meyers Helps U.S. Win Gold At 2022 Maccabiah Games". goprincetontigers.com. July 25, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  25. ^ "Delegations – Maccabiah 21". maccabiah.com.
  26. ^ a b c d e "Israel opens largest ever Maccabiah Games this week, 'Jewish Olympics' that attract thousands". All Israel News. July 14, 2022.
  27. ^ Desiatnik, Shane. "Athletes enjoy dazzling Opening Ceremony". Australian Jewish News.
  28. ^ "Jay Gotlieb represents The Bahamas in the Maccabiah Games". The Bahamas Weekly.
  29. ^ "Jerusalem hosts its first Maccabiah with flags, fanfare, first-timers". The Times of Israel.
  30. ^ Harpin, Lee. "Team GB returns from Maccabiah Games with a record haul of 57 medals". www.jewishnews.co.uk.
  31. ^ "Lietuvos sporto Klubas "Makabi" intensyviai ruošiasi dalyvavimui 21–oje Pasaulinėje Makabiadoje". Lietuvos žydų bendruomene. 30 June 2022.
  32. ^ "Russians will compete in this year's Maccabiah Games, but Russia won't". The Times of Israel.
  33. ^ "Host Cities". maccabiah.com.
  34. ^ "אירועי המכביה ברחבי הארץ" [Maccabiah events throughout the country]. 21st Maccabiah (in Hebrew). 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  35. ^ "Maccabiah – Maccabiah 21". maccabiah.com.
  36. ^ "16 things you didn't know about the Maccabiah Games". The Jewish Voice.
  37. ^ "WPF Press Releases: 2022 World Maccabi Games". World Pickleball Federation. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2022.

External links

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