Aussie swimmers enjoy success in the pool
DAVID WEINER IN WINGATE
AUSTRALIAN swimmers added one silver and two bronze medals in the 4×100 freestyle relays at the Maccabiah Games. Competition on July 20 opened with a bang for the Green and Gold, with Marni Burger swimming a hot 1.02.84 to win a silver medal in the 13-16 year category 100-metre butterfly, to go with her gold and silver from day one of the competition.
Greg Shein backed up his day one showing with a brave performance. Racing against Israeli Olympian Nevo Gal, he smashed nine seconds off his PB in the 400 individual medley to finish fifth with a time of 4.38.80.
Shein followed it up minutes later to anchor the Aussie quartet to bring home the bronze behind a US squad with Jason Lezak and the Israelis.
The Aussie quartet kicked-off with Yuriy Burunov, before Michael Goldstein mowed down the pack to put the side in the bronze position.
David Schnabl held his own in the third leg, before Shein brought the boys home 12 seconds quicker than the fourth place finisher.
The junior boys were also celebrating a bronze performance until news filtered through of the second placed team’s disqualification. Julian Kowal, Josh Blumberg, Josh Balsim and Avi Bart swam 3.54.69 to round out the action-packed night with a silver.
Burger and Ashleigh Smart teamed up with two Mexican girls to snare bronze in a composite team in the girls’ relay.
The medal counts towards their individual tally, but not Australia’s collection. Smart swam a powerful first leg to set the girls up, before Burger powered home in typical fashion.
Earlier, Yuriy Burunov and Michael Goldstein swam the 100 fly A-grade final, while David Schnabl won the B grade race with a much improved time from his morning swim.
Other results included Josh Balsim’s fourth in the 14-16 years 100 meters fly; a sixth place for Smart in the 200 free; and seventh for Bart in the boys 200 free.
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