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Friday June 21, 1996

Israeli Olympic delegation includes veteran medalists

HEATHER CHAIT
Jerusalem Post Service

Israel has named its delegation to the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta this summer.

Twenty-four athletes and 13 coaches are included in the squad, which, together with officials, will include about 50 members.

The team consists, in part, of Yael Arad and Oren Smadja (judo); Gocha Chichiashvili (wrestling); Nir and Ran Chantal, Shani Kedmi, Anat Fabrikant and Gal Friedman (maritime); and Rogel Nahum, Constantin Matusevich, Constantin Simyonev and Danny Krasnov (track and field).

Other members of the team include Vacislav Ivanovsky (weightlifting); Boris Polak, Alex Tripolski and Guy Starek (shooting); Lydia Hatoel-Zuckerman, Ayelet Ohayon and Lilach Parisky (fencing); Vacislav Neiman (boxing); Yoav Bruck, Vadim Alexsev, Dan Kutler and Eytan Orbach (swimming).

Kayaker Lior Carmi is the only athlete whose inclusion is still up in the air, dependent on a ruling question with the Olympic kayaking body.

Arad, a Barcelona silver medalist in judo, will carry the Olympic flag at the opening ceremony July 19.

In this Olympic centennial year, 14 family members of Israeli athletes murdered in the 1972 Munich Olympics by Palestinian terrorists have been invited by the Israel delegation to Atlanta.

Ephraim Zinger, director of the Israeli delegation, praised the athletes' competitive ability, but refrained from making predictions.

"Only fools are prophets," he said. "We hope all the athletes will be able to do their best, to reach their peak level at the right place and the right time."

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