End of August Melbourne sport shorts
LAWN BOWLS
Victoria wins Maccabi carnival
More than 50 players, representing Victoria and NSW, took part in the 6-day Maccabi Australia Lawn Bowls Carnival at Mermaid Beach Bowling Club in the Gold Coast earlier this month.
It was the tournament’s return after a two-year absence due to COVID travel restrictions, and bowlers from Western Australia could not be included this time.
A very strong Victorian ladies’ squad won the tournament’s Women’s Shield, while NSW won the Men’s Shield.
It was gold, silver, and bronze for Victoria in the ladies’ pairs competition, won by Jan Kamien and Gail Nadelman, Leila Levy and Robyne Schwarz, and Shelley Beder and Mandy Shochet, respectively.
Victoria also won all the medals in the mixed triples contest – including gold to Nathan and Jan Kaimien and Leila Levy – and won silver in the men’s pairs, via Ila Cieszynski and Nathan Kamien.
Victorian Shelley Beder received the award for Most Promising Bowler.
GYMNASTICS
Gould’s masterful comeback
Mazal tov to Maccabi Victoria stalwart John Gould, 68, who made a successful return to gymnastics at last week’s Knox Masters Invitational, held at Ferntree Gully.
Previously competing in the sport in 2009, he returned to training recently, and entered five events in the tournament.
He won in vault, came second in floor, mini trampoline and parallel bars, and came third in pommel horse.
Gould was substantially older than athletes in the rest of the over-30 men’s division.
SWIMMING
Victorian short course success
Jewish swimmers performed well at Swimming Victoria’s 2022 state age, and state open, short course swimming championships, both held earlier this month.
In the state age meet, Maccabi-AJAX Swimming Club (MASC) was represented by 11 swimmers, who achieved a combined 21 PB times – the biggest by Peri Afranco, who shaved almost 5 seconds off her seed time to place 14th out of 81 in the 13 girls’ 100 individual medley, clocking 1:13.68.
Other top results by the club’s swimmers included Harvey Nathanielsz’ 5th placing in the final of the 14 boys’ 200 freestyle and 6th in the 400 free; 13th place by Kaelan Nathanielsz in the 16 boys’ 100 butterfly, and 14th by Hanna Goldberg in the 15 girls’ 200 free.
In their six relay events, the club’s best result was 15th out of 30 in the 13-14 boys’ 200 free.
Jewish swimmer for Surrey Park, Tali Gant, competed in nine individual events, posting seven PB times, and making four finals.
Her best result was 6th out of 59 in the 15 girls’ 100 free.
In the state open meet, the best results by MASC’s team of 13 swimmers included para swimmer India Biesse’s silver in the women’s multi-class 50 butterfly, and bronze in the women’s multi-class 50 backstroke; 26th place by Kaelan Nathanielsz in the men’s 100 butterfly; and 35th by Alexis McCarthy in the 12 girls’ 100 individual medley.
Melbourne Vicentre rep Benno Negri, 24, helped his club win silver in the men’s 4×100 freestyle relay, and he made three finals in individual events, winning silver in the men’s 100 free with a PB time of 48.47.
Tali Gant’s best result was making the women’s 200 individual medley final, placing 8th with a time of 2:26.31.
Swimming for Nunawading, Zoe Gant made the 12 girls’ breaststroke final, coming 8th with a PB of 3:08.91.
FOOTY
Jackas fade after bright start
It was 48-all after two quarters, but the Jackas were outclassed by Old Haileybury in the remainder of their second last match of the VAFA men’s Premier B season last Saturday, losing by 8.10 (58) to 19.14 (128).
The top goalscorer for AJAX was Brad Caplan with four goals.
The Jackas are now out of finals contention, but are hoping a big crowd will cheer them on for their last outing this Saturday from 2pm at Gary Smorgon Oval when they take on St Bedes/Mentone.
Meanwhile, in one of their best performances of the season, the young AJAX men’s development team lost a thriller last Saturday to Old Haileybury, by 7.12 (54) to 8.11 (59).
Ayjay Flinkier top-scored with four goals.
ATHLETICS
Brilliant run in Ballarat
Last weekend, Maccabi Victoria Athletics Club athlete Zac Ashkanasy competed in the Athletics Victoria 15km Lake Wendouree run, crossing the finish line after 53 minutes and 49 seconds.
It was an excellent result for him, and the club, in what turned out to be ideal conditions for long distance running in Ballarat.
comments