Sport briefs from Australia and overseas
SWIMMING
Gold for Gorbenko
Teenager Anastasia Gorbenko has maintained the form she showed at the Tokyo Olympics in July, when she became the first Israeli swimmer to qualify for an Olympic final.
At the 2021 European Short Course Swimming Championships last Saturday in Kazan, Russia, Gorbenko – who just turned 18 – won gold in the women’s 200 individual medley final.
She touched the wall in 2 minutes and 5.17 seconds, beating runner-up Maria Ugolkova of Switzerland by 1.24 seconds.
GOLF
Maccabi tournaments announced
MACCABI Golf Australia president Allen Garb confirmed the first Maccabi Presidents Cup tournament since 2019 will be held from February 24-27 at Barwon Heads in Victoria.
But the reigning champions, Western Australia, will be unable to participate due to uncertainty over travel restrictions.
NSW and Victoria will announce their squads by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, the 2021 Maccabi NSW Golf Championship is locked in for December 9 at Monash Country Club, and Maccabi Golf Victoria will host the 2021 Kirzner/Silbersher Shields from December 10-12 at Yarrawonga and Black Bull golf clubs, and the Victorian Jewish Championships at Cranbourne on January 16.
ATHLETICS
Solomon joins mental health campaign
AUSSIE Olympian 400m sprinter Steve Solomon is one of 20 elite athletes who have signed up to be active ambassadors in the Australian Institute of Sport/Black Dog Mental Fitness Program.
Designed to help children aged between 12 and 16, the program will send its ambassadors to visit schools and community sport clubs to engage in mental fitness and resilience training, and to share their own experiences of how they deal with challenges.
Solomon said, “I can’t wait to help do my part in helping up-skill and educate high school students and sporting groups on the importance of mental wellness, and how we can lead healthier lives, physically and mentally.”
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