Israel Will be Sending 6 Swimmers to Rio Olympics

Israel has announced its 6-person roster for the Rio Olympic Games in a little less than a month. The full roster is as follows:

• Gal Nevo
• Yakov Toumarkin
• Amit Ivri
• Andi Murez
• Zohar Shikler
• Ziv Kalontarov

The team this year is one larger than the squad that was sent in 2012. This year, Israel is brining 3 men and 3 women.

Murez, Shikler, and Kalontarov are all first time Olympians, making up half the squad. Both Ivri and Toumarkin attended the 2012 London Games, while Nevo is the only one on the team who has been to more than two Games. The veteran also went to the 2008 Beijing Games where he placed 11th in the 400 IM and 13th in the 200 IM.

Nevo also impressed audiences at the 2012 Games in London. He placed 10th in the 400 IM, one spot better than in 2008, but still not enough to qualify for the final heat. He also finished 10th in the 200 IM in semi-finals, and competed in the 200 fly.

Toumarkin, another Israeli swimming star, set the Israeli national Record in the 200 back at the World Championships in Shagnhai in 2011. He also recently set the 100 IM Israeli National Record at the 2015 European Short Course Championships. He swam the race in a time of 52.75, besting the old record held by Nevo.

At the London Games in 2012, Toumarkin qualified for the final heat of the 200 back and touched the wall 7th in the final race (1:57.62). He also swam the 100 back but did not qualify for semi-finals.