Breaking Records & Barriers

Meet Paris 2024's Jewish Olympians & Paralympians Athletes! 

 

Israel

Judo champion Peter Palchik and Olympic swimmer Andy Murez will proudly carry the Israeli flag at the Paris 2024 Games!

Andrea (Andi) Murez is a dual Olympian and Maccabiah champion who has significantly impacted Israeli swimming. With 18 Maccabiah medals and multiple Israeli records, she's a dominant force. The American-born swimmer made aliyah in 2014 and will represent Israel for the third time at the Olympics in Paris 2024.

 Peter Palchik is a rising star in the world of judo. The 1992 Crimean-born athlete, who immigrated to Israel as an infant, has already amassed an impressive career. He secured bronze at both the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the 2023 World Championships and claimed the European Championship title in 2020. Palchik is set to compete in his second Olympic Games in Paris.

Asaf Yasur, reigning para-taekwondo World Champion in the up-to-58kg category, secured gold at the 2023 World Championships in Mexico. He is set to make his Paralympic debut in Paris, marking a historic milestone as the first-ever Israeli taekwondo athlete on the Paralympic stage. In 2017, Yasur, alongside Olympic judoka Uri Sasson, presented the Maccabiah torch to then-President Reuven Rivlin, which toured the world before returning for the Jerusalem opening ceremony.

 

Meet the Israeli Team to Paris 2024! Israel at the 2024 Summer Olympics - Wikipedia

 

 

Australia 

Noemie Fox is making waves as she qualifies for her Olympic debut in the thrilling new event, women's kayak cross. The Paris 2024 Games will witness a historic moment as Noemie joins forces with her older sister, Olympic medalist Jessica Fox, to represent Team Australia. With their accomplished mother, Myriam, as their coach, the Fox family is poised to leave an indelible mark on the world stage. 
Five-time Olympic medalist Jessica Fox aims to add to her collection at her fourth Games. The Australian canoeing superstar, who made history as the first woman to win Olympic gold in canoe slalom at the Tokyo Games, is also a passionate advocate for women in the sport. She was named Jewish Sportswoman of the Year by Maccabi Australia in 2014. 

 

Jessica (Jess) Weintraub, a Brisbane-based gymnast originally from Melbourne, is part of the  Australian rhythmic gymnastics team competing in Paris. The Aspire Gymnastics group, including Weintraub,  enjoyed a successful 2023 campaign and secured Australia’s second-ever Olympic after winning the 2024 Oceania Continental titles. This victory came alongside the European Championships. 

 

 Australian racewalker Jemima Montag, 26, is a two-time gold medalist at the Commonwealth Games and holds Australia’s record in the 20-kilometer racewalk. Now, she returns for her second Olympics. Jemima has a unique connection to the Maccabiah Games. Her parents met at the Games, and after the engagement, her mother became pregnant with Jemima at the following ones.

 

Australian Paralympic table tennis star Barak Mizrachi began his journey in 2001, making his national debut at the 2003 Maccabiah Games. He shattered barriers in 2013 as the first Australian Paralympian table tennis player at the Universiade and later claimed the top honors at the 2015 Oceania Championships. Mizrachi then cemented his legacy with a Paralympic debut at Rio 2016.

 

Australian Paralympic swimmer Matthew Levy boasts a decorated career, earning Paralympic gold since 2008 (4x100m medley). He thrived at the 2012 London Games, bringing home a stellar collection (1 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze). Despite a Rio 2016 bronze, Levy continued his reign in Tokyo 2020, adding another gold (4x100m freestyle relay) and a bronze (100m breaststroke).

 

Rising rhythmic gymnastics star Alexandra Kiroi-Bogatyreva will represent Australia in Paris 2024. The four-time national champion (2018-2023) secured her Olympic spot with an all-around win at the 2024 Oceania Championships. Kiroi-Bogatyreva's trophy cabinet also boasts Commonwealth Games medals (including 2022 clubs gold) and five bronzes from the Maccabiah Games.

Barry Lipp, who won a gold medal at the 21st Maccabiah Games, has a role as an official at the Olympic Games. He will serve as a member of the Triathlon Appeal Panel during the Games, adjudicating appeals related to triathlon events and ensuring fairness and adherence to rules during the competition.

 

Argentina

 Argentine standout Luciano Palonsky is a rising volleyball star. He currently showcases his skills with the Osaka Blazers Sakai and the Argentina national team. His exceptional talent was evident in 2016 when he claimed the Best Outside Spiker award at the South American Championship. Now, with his sights set on the Paris 2024 Olympics, Palonsky is eager to demonstrate his abilities on the grandest stage of all.

 

Pablo Vainstein is a seasoned veteran of the international handball stage. A cornerstone of both the Ciudad Encantada club and the Argentina national team, Vainstein has already proven his mettle on the Olympic platform at the Rio Games. As he prepares to represent his country once again at Paris 2024, the experienced athlete brings a wealth of talent and competitive spirit to the quest for handball glory.

 

 

 

Brazil 

The Brazilian para table tennis sensation and Paralympic medalist Israel Stroh,  has not only shattered barriers as the country's first singles medalist but has also solidified his status as a dominant force in the sport. With a collection of titles, including Pan American champion and Parapan American Games silver medalist, Stroh's determination and skill are undeniable. As he turns his focus to the Paris Paralympics, the world eagerly anticipates the next chapter in this inspiring athlete's career.

 

 

 

Canada

Sam Schachter, the Maccabiah Games alumnus and one of the world’s best Beach Volleyball players, will compete in his second Olympic Games this summer. With Maccabiah Games partner Josh Binstock, Schachter previously represented Canada at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the 2013 Maccabiah Games, Schachter competed alongside Josh Binstock, winning a silver medal.

 

David Zilberman, a Maccabiah Games veteran and former two-time Canadian wrestling champion, is a longtime fixture on the international stage. He competed at the 2008 Olympics, coached the Canadian team in Tokyo, and will return to the Olympics in Paris. At the Maccabiah Games, Zilberman represented Canada as a wrestler in 2009 and returned as a coach in 2013 and 2017. 

 

Colombia

Ilana Izquierdo Zanger is a rising star in Colombian football. The talented midfielder has quickly established herself as a key player for the national team, demonstrating exceptional skill and dedication at just 22 years old. Her passion for the game is evident in every match, and her contributions to the team have been invaluable. As she continues to grow and develop as a player, Izquierdo Zanger is poised to become a leading figure in Colombian women's football.

 

 

Paraguay 

Paraguayan rowing stalwart Alejandra Alonso returns to the Olympic stage with her sights firmly set on Paris 2024. A veteran of the Tokyo Games, Alonso brings a wealth of experience and unwavering determination to the French capital. Having represented her country with distinction in numerous international competitions, she is poised to make another significant impact on the global rowing scene. 

 

 

 

USA

Eli Dershwitz is an American left-handed saber specialist. A World Champion (2023), two-time Olympian, and five-time Pan Am champion, he dominated junior circuits before becoming the youngest US saber champion in 2014. Beyond Olympic glory, Dershwitz championed the U.S. at the 2017 Maccabiah Games in Israel. He served as the U.S. flag-bearer and secured a double gold – triumphing in both the individual and team saber competitions.

 

Amit Elor, a rising star in American wrestling, is set to make history at the Paris Olympics. The 20-year-old, of Israeli descent, is the youngest female wrestler ever to represent the United States. A two-time world champion and the current top-ranked 68-kilogram wrestler in the country, Elor is poised to significantly impact the global stage, thanks to her extraordinary potential. 

 

Ada Korkhin, a 19-year-old native of Brookline, Mass., is set to represent the United States in the 25-meter pistol event at the Paris Olympics. Introduced to air pistol shooting by her Israeli father at age 9, Korkhin secured a team gold medal at the 2024 Championship of the Americas Games and silver at the USA Shooting Pistol National Championships, positioning herself as a strong contender on the world stage.

 

 

Claire Weinstein, a 17-year-old swimming phenom from New York, is set to make a splash on the Olympic stage. Her meteoric rise culminated in a triumphant performance at the Trials, securing her place on the U.S. team. Weinstein will compete in the 200-meter freestyle and join forces with swimming legend Katie Ledecky in the highly anticipated 4x200-meter relay. 

 

Track and field Paralympic athlete Ezra Frech, 19, will represent the U.S. again in Paris. He competes in the high jump, long jump, and the 100-meter dash. Frech is a double silver medalist from the Parapan American Games and won silver at the 2024 World Championships. Born without most of his left leg and missing fingers on his left hand, he set a world record in the high jump at the 2023 Para Athletics World Championship, earning gold.

 

College foil fencer Maia Weintraub, 21, will debut at the Olympics in Paris after serving as an alternate in 2021. She brings a record of two-time U.S. national champion, Junior Olympics champion, and three-time World Championship medalist. Ranked No. 13 globally, she is also an NCAA champion and has won gold at the European Maccabi Games.

 

American foil fencer Nick Itkin is currently ranked No. 2 in the world,  secured a bronze medal in Tokyo, and has maintained a stellar performance on the fencing strip. As a five-time U.S. national champion, Itkin has garnered three World Championship medals in foil. He also claimed victories at the World Cup in 2020 and 2023, earned gold medals at the Pan American Cup in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and clinched the 2024 Grand Prix title.

 

U.S. table tennis sensation Ian Seidenfeld, 23, aims to replicate his success from the 2020 Paralympics this summer. The gold medalist had a remarkable journey in Tokyo, defeating the reigning champion to secure the top prize. Seidenfeld is also a two-time victor at the 2019 and 2023 Parapan American Games. Alongside his father, Mitchell Seidenfeld, a former Olympic gold medalist in table tennis, they make a two-generation success story.