Gymnastics
Artem Dolgopyat won gold in the floor exercise at the Challenge Cup in Paris. With one Olympic gold and one silver, Dolgopyat is Israel’s most successful Olympian. He also holds a World Championship title.
Paris was the fourth of five World Challenge Cup events, with the final competition scheduled in Hungary in late September.
World Athletics Championships
In the men’s marathon at the World Championships in Tokyo, Israel had two top-seven finishers. Haimro Alame placed fourth, just 10 seconds behind the bronze medalist, while Gashau Ayale finished seventh, 24 seconds behind Alame.
The performances underscore Israel’s growing strength in athletics and its potential to win an Olympic medal in a sport where it has yet to reach the podium.
The race in Tokyo was relatively slow, with the winner finishing in 2:09:48, compared to 2:08:38 at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Cycling
Despite disruptions from anti-Israel protesters at the Vuelta a España cycling race, Israel–Premier Tech continued competing, with one member of the team claiming the Best Young Rider jersey.
The final stage of the race in Madrid on Sunday was abandoned after hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters tore down barriers, clashed with police and forced riders off course.
“In the face of considerable adversity, our riders focused on their race, producing one of the best Grand Tours in our team’s history,” IPT owner Sylvan Adams told JNS.
“This marks our second top-five performance [for a rider in the general classification] at a Grand Tour this season, reflecting the team’s growth in the right direction. A top-five finish, a jersey win and four podiums [in various stages of the race] are outstanding results that virtually ensure our return to the WorldTour next season. I’m very proud of this team,” he added.
IPT rider Matthew Riccitello secured the Best Young Rider title, receiving the white jersey—a first in the team’s history.
Around the Grounds
Cycling: Mikhail Iakovlev won gold and silver at a cycling meet in Germany.
Athletics: Blessing Afrifah failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the 200m at the World Championships; Adva Cohen set a new national record but failed to qualify for the final of the 3000m steeplechase.
Arm Wrestling: Omer Dror and Mushka Cohen won bronze medals at the World Championships.
Taekwondo: Rivka Bayech won silver while Alexandra Dan and Tom Pashkovsky both won bronze at an event in Germany.
Tennis: Canada defeated Israel 4-0 in a Davis Cup tie.
The Week Ahead:
Baseball
The European Championships begin on Saturday in the Netherlands, in a tournament that Israel was originally set to host. Israel is in a group with France, Great Britain and the host nation.
Israel gained international attention with its remarkable performance at the 2017 World Baseball Classic and followed that by qualifying for the 2020 Olympics. The achievements elevated the sport’s profile in the Jewish state and earned the team respect within the global baseball community.
Flag Football
The 2025 European Flag Football Championships take place in Paris. While the exact process for Olympic qualification for the Los Angeles Games in 2028 is unclear, strong performances at this tournament could play a role.
