Israel’s tennis duo through to quarterfinals
Country’s top female windsurfer hangs on to second place; two swimmers advance to semifinals in their heats
Aaron Kalman is a former writer and breaking news editor for the Times of Israel
Israel’s tennis duo advanced to the third round at the Olympic Games on Wednesday. Earlier in the day windsurfer Lee Korzits remained in second place after her second day of races, while swimmers Gal Nevo and Yakov Toumarkin advanced to the semifinals of their swim heats.
Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich beat the Swiss duo of Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 2-1. The Israeli duo fought back after they dropped the first set 6-1, won the second 7-6 and the third 6-3. In the quarterfinals they’ll meet the Bryan brothers from the US.
Toumarkin stopped the clock at 1:57.33 minutes, setting a new Israeli record in the 200 meter backstroke. The 20-year-old swimmer finished his heat in third place, placing him in eighth place of the general rankings and pushing him through to the semifinals.
Nevo swam the 200 meter personal medley, finishing his heat in fifth place and advancing to the semifinals from the 12th overall spot with a time of 1.59.56 minutes.
The semifinals for both swimmers will be held on Wednesday night.
Toumarkin was the second Israeli to set a new national record in London, after Amit Ivri set a new Israeli record in the women’s 200 meter personal medley on Monday.
Windsurfer Shahar Tzuberi finished his first race Wednesday in 17th place, and his second in 10th place. After four races Tzuberi, one of Israel’s biggest medal hopes, was in the 10th overall place.
Israel’s top female windsurfer and current world champion Lee Korzits finished her third race in seventh place, dropping her from first to second in the general standings. She regained form in the fourth race, finishing in second place and further securing her place at the top.
Nofar Edelman finished her third day of races on the Laser Radial in the 30th overall place. The sailor came in 29th in her fifth race and surprised everyone when she placed third in the sixth race of the Games.
Later Wednesday, gymnast Alex Shatilov will try to win Israel’s first Olympic medal of 2012.
Six Israeli athletes will take part in the Games on Wednesday.
Shatilov was the first Israeli to reach the finals in Olympic gymnastics when he made the top eight at the Beijing Games. On Wednesday evening he’ll try to win Israel’s first ever Olympic medal in that event.
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