In a remarkable achievement at the European Aquatics Championships, the Israeli team secured two gold medals in consecutive days. Following the Israeli women's triumph in the 200-meter freestyle relay in Belgrade, Serbia, the Israeli mixed medley relay team clinched gold in the 400-meter event last night (Tuesday).
The victorious team comprised of four of Israel's best swimmers: Anastasia Gorbenko in backstroke, Ron Polonsky in breaststroke, Gal Cohen Groumi in butterfly, and Andrea Murez in freestyle. They completed the relay in 3:45.74, narrowly defeating the Polish team who were disqualified, thus awarding Israel the gold medal.
Additionally this victory guarantees the Israeli team's participation in four relay races at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
Reflecting on their achievement, Groumi, who also competed in the men’s butterfly event the next morning, emphasized the team's strong performance and the honour of representing Israel. He also mentioned the need to remember the captives being held in Gaza for the past eight months, stating, "In these moments it is crucial to respect Israel's anthem and demonstrate our presence. Representing our country with dignity is paramount, and tonight we have shown that anything is possible. Most importantly, we are advocating for the return of the hostages."
Gorbenko, thrilled with the win, expressed optimism about their preparations for the Olympics, saying, "I believe we still have more to give and areas to improve."
Murez added, “We have a fantastic team. It was exhilarating to start with gold yesterday and continue the success today. I knew they would start strong, and I just had to finish the race well. It’s wonderful to be back in the pool.”
This marks only the fifth time Israel has secured a gold medal at a European Championships, with their national anthem Hatikvah played for the second time in two days.
Several Israeli swimmers also advanced to the finals in individual events scheduled for Wednesday morning, highlighting their competitiveness in the European Aquatics Championships. With the final of the European Aquatics Championships to take place on Wednesday evening.