Israel competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. This was Israel's fourteenth participation in the Summer Olympics.
Israel sent 43 athletes to compete in Beijing, the largest Israeli delegation in Olympic history, with the previous record having been 40 in 2000, and was broken in 2016 with 47. The Olympic team was split 23 men and 20 women, which is the largest share of women in Israel's summer Olympic history. This was the youngest delegation in Israel's Olympic history, with about half the team under the age of 23, and many of them were expected to reach their peak in time for the 2012 Olympics in London.
Shooter Guy Starik became the second Israeli in Olympic history to participate in 4 Olympic Games. Three athletes made their third Olympic appearance: pole vaulter Aleksandr Averbukh, who has two European championship titles, two world championship medals and two Olympic finals in his resume, judoka Ariel Ze'evi, three-times European champion and bronze medalist in 2004 Summer Olympics, and canoer Michael Kolganov, former world champion and bronze medalist in 2000 Summer Olympics, who was the flagbearer for Israel in the opening ceremony. 12 other athletes made their second Olympic appearance, while 27 athletes made their Olympic debut at Beijing.
Israel made its Olympic debut in Beijing in the team event in rhythmic gymnastics, women's épée in fencing, women's one-person dinghy (Laser Radial) in sailing, and women's doubles in tennis.
Among the medal hopefuls were Ariel Ze'evi, and also Udi Gal and Gideon Kliger, 3-times world bronze medalists in sailing 470 class, Shahar Tzuberi, world bronze medalist in sailboard Neil Pryde RS:X class, and tennis men's double team Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram, winners of the 2008 Australian Open and #3 seeds in the Olympic tournament.
Medalists Medal Name Sport Event Sailing Men's sailboard
Other notable achievements Place Name Sport Event 4 and Nike Kornecki Sailing Women's 470 class 5 Judo Men's 60 kg 6 Alona DvornichenkoKaterina PisetskyMaria SavenkovRachel VigdorchickVeronika Vitenberg Gymnastics Women's rhythmic team all-around 8 Gymnastics Men's floor 9 Gymnastics Women's rhythmic individual all-around 10 Sailing Women's sailboard
Results summary
The largest delegation in Israel's Olympic history won just one bronze medal by Shahar Tzuberi in this Olympics, which was below the expectations of the National Olympic committee. However, beside disappointment from failures of medal hopefuls, such as Arik Ze'evi, Udi Gal and Gideon Kliger, and Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram, there were some fine performances from other athletes.
The sailing team was close to win another medal by Vered Buskila and Nike Kornecki in women's 470 class, who finished in fourth place, while Maayan Davidovich became the first Israeli female windsurfer to place in the top 10.
The Gymnasts excelled and recorded first finals in Israel Olympic history by Alex Shatilov, 8th in men's floor (best achievement in artistic gymnastics), the rhythmic team placed sixth on its debut in the team all-around event, while Irina Risenzon placed 9th in the rhythmic individual all-around event. Also the 14th place of Neta Rivkin, the youngest member of the Olympic team, was a good achievement.
There were plenty of national records in the swimming pool – 11 in 17 races – and 3 swimmers achieved 4 top-16 places between them, more than any previous Olympics. Gal Nevo was the best of them, with 11th place in 400 metres individual medley and 13th place in 200 metres individual medley. Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or got 15th place in 200 metres freestyle, and Guy Barne'a 16th in 100 metres backstroke.
Among the other sports, there was only one notable achievement, Gal Yekutiel's fifth place in judo, which was beyond the expectations from him.
In shooting, 4-times Olympian Guy Starik came close to the final of the rifle prone event, but a miss on the final shot placed him in 12th place, losing on tie break to the 4 shooters ranked above him.
On the down side, all four athletes in track-and-field failed to reach their expected results, all three fencers were eliminated in their first bouts, and four tennis players recorded just one win between them (by Shahar Pe'er) before being eliminated.
Athletics
Four athletes represented Israel in Beijing.
Men Track & road events AthleteEventHeatFinalResultRankResultRankItai Magidi3000 m steeplechase9:05.0213Did not advanceHaile SatayinMarathoncolspan=2 2:30:0769
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionAleksandr AverbukhPole vault5.4528Did not advanceNiki PalliHigh jump2.2021Did not advance
Canoeing
Sprint Michael Kolganov represented Israel in kayaking.
AthleteEventHeatsSemifinalsFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankMichael KolganovMen's K-1 500 m1:38.3961 QS1:43.1454Did not advanceMen's K-1 1000 m3:38.2075 QS3:43.108 8Did not advance Qualification Legend: QS = Qualify to semi-final; QF = Qualify directly to final
Fencing
Delila Hatuel, Noam Mills and Tomer Or represented Israel in fencing at the games.Injured fencer will be able to go to Olympics after hyperbaric oxygen treatment
Men AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankTomer OrIndividual foilL 10–11Did not advance
Women AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankNoam MillsIndividual épéeL 8–15Did not advanceDelila HatuelIndividual foilL 9–10Did not advance
Gymnastics
Artistic Alexander Shatilov represented Israel.
Men AthleteEventQualificationFinalApparatusTotalRankApparatusTotalRankAlexander ShatilovAll-around15.60013.825 14.07515.57514.50014.22587.80029Did not advanceFloor15.600colspan=5 15.6008 Q14.125colspan=5 14.1258
Rhythmic Irina Risenzon, Neta Rivkin and a team of 5 gymnasts represented Israel.
AthleteEventQualificationFinalRopeHoopClubsRibbonTotalRankRopeHoopClubsRibbonTotalRankNeta RivkinIndividual16.50016.82516.45016.10065.87514Did not advanceIrina Risenzon16.80017.10017.12516.82567.8508 Q17.02516.35016.85016.55066.7759
AthleteEventQualificationFinal5 ropes3 hoops2 clubsTotalRank5 ropes3 hoops2 clubsTotalRankAlona DvornichenkoKaterina PisetskyMaria SavenkovRachel VigdorchickVeronika VitenbergTeam15.30016.22531.5257 Q16.05016.05032.1006
Judo
3 judoka represented Israel.
Men AthleteEventPreliminaryRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechage 1Repechage 2Repechage 3Final / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankGal Yekutiel−60 kgW 0001–0000L 0001–1001Did not advanceW 0001–0000W 0001–0000W 0200–0101L 0000–10125Ariel Ze'evi−100 kgW 0010–0001L 0001–0010Did not advanceL 0001–0011Did not advance
Women AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechage 1Repechage 2Repechage 3Final / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankAlice Schlesinger−63 kgL 0000–0011Did not advanceL 0000–1001Did not advance
Sailing
Seven sailors in five boats represented Israel in Beijing.
Men AthleteEventRaceNet pointsFinal rank12345678910M*Shahar TzuberiRS:X1313176191814258Udi Gal Gideon Kliger4701316131430BFD111521212EL10814
Women AthleteEventRaceNet pointsFinal rank12345678910M*Maayan DavidovichRS:X1392091314164910711110Nufar EdelmanLaser Radial2512315251191917CANEL11116Vered Buskila Nike Kornecki470813128193111152664
Shooting
Three shooters represented Israel in Beijing
Men AthleteEventQualificationFinalPointsRankPointsRankDoron Egozi10 m air rifle58741Did not advance50 m rifle 3 positions115536Did not advanceGil Simkovich50 m rifle prone59222 Did not advance50 m rifle 3 positions115338Did not advanceGuy Starik50 m rifle prone59412 Did not advance
Swimming
Seven swimmers represented Israel in the Olympics.
Men AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankNimrod Shapira Bar-Or100 m freestyle49.10 26Did not advance200 m freestyle1:47.78 15 Q1:48.1615Did not advanceGuy Barne'a100 m backstroke54.5015 Q54.9316Did not advanceTom Be'eri100 m breaststroke1:02.4242Did not advance200 m breaststroke2:11.4420Did not advanceItai Chammah200 m backstroke2:00.9326Did not advanceAlon Mandel100 m butterfly52.9936Did not advance200 m butterfly1:59.27 28Did not advanceGal Nevo200 m individual medley1:59.66 12 Q2:00.4313Did not advance400 m individual medley4:14.03 11colspan=2 Did not advance
Women AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankAnya Gostomelsky50 m freestyle25.2319Did not advance100 m freestyle55.1822Did not advance100 m backstroke1:01.8725Did not advance100 m butterfly59.5036Did not advance
Synchronized swimming
Anastasia Gloushkov and Inna Yoffe represented Israel.
AthleteEventTechnical routineFree routine (preliminary)Free routine (final)PointsRankPointsTotal (technical + free)RankPointsTotal (technical + free)RankAnastasia GloushkovInna YoffeDuet43.5831543.33486.91715Did not advance
Taekwondo
Bat-El Gatterer competed in Taekwondo.
AthleteEventRound of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechage Bronze MedalFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankBat-El GattererWomen's −57 kgL 3–4Did not advance
Tennis
Jonathan Erlich, Andy Ram, Tzipora Obziler and Shahar Pe'er competed in tennis.
AthleteEventRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / OppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankJonathan ErlichAndy RamMen's doublesL 4–6, 4–6Did not advanceTzipora ObzilerWomen's singlesL 5–7, 7–5, 4–6Did not advanceShahar Pe'erW 6–3, 5–7, 6–0L 3–6, 6–7(4–7)Did not advanceTzipora ObzilerShahar Pe'erWomen's doublesL 3–6, 2–6Did not advance
See also Israel at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
References
External links Official website of the 2008 Summer Olympics