48-member Turkish delegation joins Jewish Olympics

ISTANBUL

Fireworks take off into the air during the opening ceremony of the 19th Maccabiah Games at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem July 18. REUTERS photo

Forty-eight athletes from Turkey will be participating at the 19th Maccabiah Games which kicked off with an opening ceremony gala in front of 32,000 spectators in Jerusalem late July 18. A total of 9,000 athletes are representing 78 countries in the competition billed as the “largest Jewish sporting event.”

The Turkish athletes will compete in seven different branches, including team sports such as basketball and futsal.

Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Netanyahu also attended the lavish opening ceremony. U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron send their good luck wishes to athletes in pre-recorded video messages.

The event has a huge historical significance for the Jewish community since the first Games were held in 1932 during the British Mandate of Palestine at the Maccabiah Stadium in Tel Aviv, which was built for the occasion. Athletes from Turkey competed for the first time at the second Maccabiah Games held in Tel Aviv in 1995.

The Olympic torch was lit by the young American gymnast Aly Raisman who won two gold and one bronze medals in the 2012 London Olympics. The Games are scheduled to close on July 30.