Timely move to include AUS team in 2026 Maccabiah

In the nick of time before the start of the postponed 22nd edition of the Maccabiah Games, Australia will officially have a delegation of athletes – albeit small – competing in Israel, and marching behind the Australian flag at the July 1 opening ceremony in Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium.

A decision by Maccabi Australia’s board – confirmed on June 28 by general manager David Goldman – was made to reverse its June 2 decision not to send a team, which was based at that time on the Department of Foreign Affairs And Trade’s (DFAT) official “do not travel” advice regarding Israel.

Following DFAT changing that advice on June 17 to “reconsider your need to travel” to Israel, Goldman said the Maccabi Australia board met, and determined that athletes could participate as Team Australia, rather than as “unattached”.

The Aussie delegation will consist of 14 athletes, mostly from individual sports, who had already travelled to Israel.

Maccabi World Union has offered to provide management and support services to athletes from nations unable to send team officials due to the circumstances.

Goldman told The AJN “while it’s still going to be a very different Maccabiah Games for everybody, we’re just pleased now, and very excited, that Australia will be there competing, and marching together in the opening ceremony.

“And that was big consideration for us – we didn’t want this to be the first Maccabiah Games, since Australia joined in 1950, that there would be no Australian contingent.”

The Aussie athletes will be led into Teddy Stadium by selected captain, table tennis masters athlete Sam Parasol, who will compete in his milestone 10th Maccabiah Games.

The Maccabi Victoria Hall of Fame ‘legend status’ member will hold the Australian flag, while the Maccabi Australia flag will be held by Barry Lipp, who will compete in the Maccabi Man events in his fifth Maccabiah Games.

Sydney middle distance runner Joel Solomon, 21 – a former U20 Athletics NSW squad member who currently studies, competes and trains in New York – said representing Australia in his first trip to Israel “is super important to me, and being here absolutely exceeded my expectations!”

A little over a year ago, Emanuel School student Mia Goodridge, now 16, proudly held the Maccabiah torch in an official Maccabi Australia photo shoot in front of the Sydney Opera House.

She never let up her disciplined training commitments, and after her dad Anthony travelled to Israel for a wedding in mid-May, he opted to stay on ahead of Mia’s arrival for pre-Games training on June 12, and will be her coach during the Games.

“My wife and felt that Mia had trained so hard for this, so if it would still be a good experience, she should,” he said.

Goodridge told The AJN from Tel Aviv that she feels “so lucky”, pumped and ready for her first Maccabiah Games, particularly “because of how many times I have been told it was off”.

“My goal to swim at Maccabiah had been set for a long time, so even if the Games won’t be exactly ‘normal’, I am still so excited.”

She will mainly be competing in freestyle and backstroke events, against teens from countries including Israel, the United States, Brazil, and Mexico.

“My training had been really good since I arrived in Israel, and we found a lovely outdoor 50m pool at Tel Aviv University, and the locals have been so friendly and encouraging.”

Goodridge said her main goal is “just to get some good race times, have a fun and enjoyable time, and meet lots of new people from around the world”.

And she is stoked that she can now compete in Australia’s colours, and for the Australian team, and march behind the Aussie flag at Teddy Stadium.

Australian Team members joined Australia’s Ambassador to Israel, Neil Hawkins, and other dignitaries on June 28 beside Tel Aviv’s Yarkon River for a 1997 Maccabiah Bridge Tragedy commemoration, arranged by MWU, where wreaths were laid.

“That tragedy is woven into our team’s past, and will always be remembered and marked before every Maccabiah Games,” Goldman said.

“The memory of the four Australians who died [Greg Small, Yetty Bennett, Elizabeth Sawicki and Warren Zines] will always be with us.”

The 14 athletes that will represent Australia are:

Swimming: Mia Goodridge, Zoe Gant (juniors), Alida Lipton (masters).

Tennis: Oscar Naar (juniors), Akiva Kremnizer, Lior Rauchberger, Darion Pohl (masters).

Table Tennis: Sam Parasol (masters).

Maccabi Man events: Barry Lipp, Daniel Goldman, Tim Goodman (masters).

Athletics/running: Joel Solomon (open).

Football: Geoff Sirmai, Terry Sperber (masters).