On the way to Paris: Aviv Barzali set the Olympic criterion in the 200 meter backstroke

Aviv Barzali from Maccabi Haifa set an Olympic criterion for Paris 2024 this afternoon (Wednesday), after finishing the 200-meter backstroke with a result of 2:09.63 minutes, in the Trails Arena competition held at the Wingate Institute.

Barzli, who until about a week ago held the Israeli record in this event until it was broken by Anastasia Gorbenko, offset 79 hundredths from her personal record and swam 76 hundredths faster than the criterion. Barzli is the seventh representative in the pool to set a personal criterion for Paris. At the end she said: “I’m really happy, I worked super hard for this, and I not only made a criterion but also broke my record, which is no less important to me.”

Ayala Spitz from Maccabi Haifa finished second (2:11.08) and Tom Minnis from Maccabi Rishon LeZion SEALS finished third (2:15.92). Ofir Simcha from Maccabi Kiryat Bialik finished fourth (2:16.05) and set a criterion for the European Youth Championship.

David Gerchik from Maccabi Haifa was only 3 hundredths away from the Olympic criterion in the 200 backstroke after setting a time of 1:57.53 minutes in the qualifying heats. In the final heat, Garchik won with 1:57.60 – a distance of one tenth of the criterion. Inbar Danziger from Hapoel Jerusalem finished second (1:58.72) and Lev Steinberg from Hapoel Eilat finished third (2:02.80) and set a criterion for the European Youth Championship.

In the men’s 100 meter freestyle, Daniel Namir from Hapoel Dolphin Netanya won with 49.64 seconds, Yoav Romano from Maccabi Shoham finished second (49.77) and Alexei Glibinsky from Hapoel Jerusalem finished third (49.81).

Andi Morez from Hapoel Jerusalem, who made a comeback to the pool last year, won the women’s 100 freestyle final with 54.96 seconds. Leah Polonsky from Maccabi Haifa finished second (55.62) and Shain Goland from Hapoel MA Mashgav third (56.25).

Keren Eisbruch from Maccabi Rishon LeZion SEALS won the 100 meter breaststroke final with 1:11.81 minutes. Elisabetta Frolov from M.S. Ramla finished second (1:12.29) and Alma Glasman from Hapoel MA Mashgav finished third (1:15.06).

Yonatan Itzhaki from Maccabi RG won the men’s 100m breaststroke final with 1:00.62 minutes, Chris Fitchugin from Greater Jerusalem finished second (1:01.22) and Alon Baer from Maccabi Naharia finished third (1:01.89). Mark Teller from Maccabi RG C finished sixth (1:03.62) secured a criterion for the European Youth Championship and set an Israeli record for 16-year-olds.

Alyssa Meshkovich from Maccabi Rishon LeZion SEALS won the final for the 50 meter butterfly with 27.60 seconds. Hadar Karp from Hapoel Beit Shemesh finished second (27.68) and Ofir Rakah from Maccabi Kiryat Bialik third (27.77).

Gal Shelgal from Hapoel Dolphin Netanya won the men’s 50 butterfly final with 24.17 seconds, Lior Mizrahi from Greater Jerusalem finished second (24.32) and Daniel Yosifov from Hapoel Olymp Netanya finished third (24.52).

Becky Posdner from Hapoel Bat Yam won the 800 meter freestyle final with 8:55.32 minutes, Ofek Adir from Hapoel Bat Yam finished second (8:56.42) and Omer Schwartz from Maccabi Kiryat Bialik finished third (9:00.02).

Bar Soloveitchik from Maccabi Kiryat Bialik won the 800 meter freestyle with 7:56.90 minutes, Maor Goralnik from Hapoel Bat Yam finished second (8:07.33) and Eshkol Mazor from Hapoel Kfar Saba BB finished third (8:18.58).