2 Israeli athletes advance to final rounds in Tokyo Olympics

Israel’s Olympic long jumper Hanna Knyazyeva-Minenko and runner Selamawit Teferi both qualified Friday for their respective final rounds at the Summer Games in Tokyo.

Teferi set a new record for the country in the women’s 5,000-meter and finished eighth overall, taking her to the final round.

Teferi ran the 5km race in just 14:53.43, six seconds faster than the previous Israeli record set by Lonah Chemtai Salpeter.

Knyazyeva-Minenko launched herself 14.36 meters across the sandpit in the qualification round of the women’s triple jump. She placed fifth overall and will contend in Sunday’s final.

In swimming, Meiron Cheruti placed fifth in the men’s 50-meter freestyle on Friday, putting him at 17th overall. The result meant he will not advance to the semi-finals.

Aviv Barzelay finished eighth in the women’s 200-meter backstroke semi-final. She placed 15th overall and will not proceed to the final round.

Earlier on Friday, judokas Raz Hershko and Or Sasson failed to reach the medal rounds after being defeated in elimination.

Sprinter Diana Vaisman, despite reaching her personal best of 11:27 in the 100-meter race, was bested by rivals from the United States, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago, and finished in fourth place.

Sailer Shay Kakon finished fifth in Friday’s Laser Radial, but placed at an overall 30th, meaning she won’t be advancing to the final round for a chance at a medal.

The results meant that Avishag Semberg’s taekwondo bronze in the women’s -49kg category on Saturday remains Israel’s only medal so far in the 2021 games.

Eyes in Israel again turn to the baseball team, which faces off against the US on Friday afternoon (Israel time) in an opening round. If Israel loses Friday’s game, the team will head into a knockout round game next week.