Lipp wins Australia’s first 2026 Maccabiah gold

Australia’s small 14-member team at the 2026 Maccabiah Games is already punching above its weight, having won the first gold medal on offer in any event, on Friday morning (Israel time), thanks to an inspiring performance by masters athlete Barry Lipp.

The 68-year-old Melburnian came first in the men’s 65+ duathlon in the beautiful Beit She’an Valley in Israel’s north-east.

Then, on Sunday July 5, Lipp won silver in the second event of the Maccabi Man series – the 3km open water swim in Lake Kinneret, in a time of 1:16.21.

This is the Maccabi Australia vice president’s fifth Maccabiah campaign as an athlete, but he only decided to travel to Israel eight days earlier, due to the circumstances.

He described this year’s Opening Ceremony, and winning the first medal for Australia at the postponed by a year 22nd Maccabiah Games, as “very emotional”.