1953 Maccabiah Games

4th Maccabiah
Nations participating 22
Debuting countries  Brazil
 Chile
 Rhodesia
Athletes participating 890
Main venue Ramat Gan Stadium
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Eight hundred ninety athletes representing 21 countries attended the 1953 4th Maccabiah Games.

Israeli President Itzhak Ben-Zvi opened the Games.

First-time entries included Brazil, Chile and Zimbabwe (Rhodesia).

In gymnastics, Abie Grossfeld of the United States won 6 gold medals.

In tennis, Anita Kanter of the US won gold medals in women's doubles and mixed doubles, and the silver medal in women's singles. Angela Buxton of Great Britain, who three years later was to win the doubles tite at Wimbledon, won the gold medal in women's singles. On the men's side, Grant Golden, who was ranked # 2 in the US that year, captured three gold medals in the men's singles (over South African Sid Levy), the men's doubles with partner Pablo Eisenberg, and the mixed doubles with Kanter.

In boxing, Abraham Rosenberg, a concentration camp survivor, won the heavyweight division gold medal. Rozenberg fighting for France lived to that time in Germany, but Germany didn't have a team in that maccabiah, so Rozenberg fought for France.

Ben Helfgott, a concentration camp survivor, won the weightlifting gold medal in the lightweight class for Great Britain for the second Games in a row.

In fencing, a gold medal was won by 3-time Pan American Games gold medalist Allan Kwartler in foil. British Olympian and world champion Allan Jay won three gold medals.[1][2]

Harry Kane of Britain won the 400 meter hurdles with a games record times of 50.5. [3]

Has been decided to change the duration after this maccabiah to once in 4 years to gain an olympic recognition.

Participating Communities

The number in parentheses indicates the number of participants that community contributed.

References

  1. "Eight Jewish Athletes at BEG". The Canadian Jewish Chronicle. July 30, 1954. Retrieved 28 October 2013.

External links