The world comes to play

MORE than 450 athletes from 14 countries competed in seven sports at the Maccabi Australia International Games over the past week in Sydney.

Some of the highlights included the ocean swim at Bondi Beach and Australia taking on the United States in the basketball at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

At Sydney Olympic Park, Israeli swimmer Amit Ivri, ranked among the top 25 female butterfly swimmers in the world, showed her class. Across town at White City, Brazilian tennis player Roxane Vaisemberg, who is ranked in the top 300 women, won three gold medals.

On the football field, America beat Brazil 3-0 in a gripping gold-medal match after Australia claimed gold in the youth competition, while at Tenpin City in Lidcombe, Venezuelan Emil Kizer won three gold medals including the all-events competition.

At Monash Golf Club, the Australian team proved far too strong for an international side comprising players from Argentina, Hong Kong, Scotland and USA, easily clinching the gold, 29-7.

It was an all-Aussie affair in the men’s open basketball competition, with teams from Victoria and NSW squaring off. NSW held an early lead before the Victorian team took control and won the match, 69-47.

“It’s always nice to be that NSW team and have the edge over them,” Victorian coach Daniel Sher said “It was a really good game and we are going to use this as a way to build the Maccabiah team because both teams had some good players.

The most imposing figure on the court during the basketball competition was 206 centimetre Brazilian Israel Andrade.

“I’ve had an amazing time because the country and the city is amazing and the people have been so nice here,” the 50-year-old masters player said. “To play with people from all over the world was great.”

JOSHUA LEVI