July 5, 2005

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - University of North Carolina women's swimming and diving team tri-captain Becky Smock of Richmond, Va. has left for Israel to compete in the 17th quadrennial Maccabiah Games. Smock, a rising junior and an Atlantic Coast Conference finalist in the 200-yard butterfly last season, left July 2 in order to participate in the event's opening ceremonies.

The swimming portion of the Games will take place July 10-14. She will be swimming the 200-meter butterly, 200-meter freestyle, 400-meter individual medley, 400-meter freestyle, 800-meter freestyle and the 200-meter breaststroke.

The best Jewish athletes come from all over the world to compete in the World Maccabiah Games, an Olympic-style competition in the State of Israel every 4 years.

The Maccabi movement, named for Judah (The Hammer) Maccabee, was initiated in 1895-96 when the first all-Jewish Maccabi gymnastics club was formed in Constantinople. By the end of World War I, more than 100 Maccabi-style clubs existed in Europe. The first Maccabiah Games, featuring 14 countries and 390 athletes, was held in 1932. World events forced the delay of the third Maccabiah Games, scheduled for 1938, until 1950. The Maccabiah Games have been a quadrennial event since 1957.

Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel sponsors U.S. participation in this athletic, cultural and educational extravaganza. Maccabiah Games alumni include swimmers Mark Spitz and Lenny Krayzelburg, gymnasts Mitch Gaylord and Kerri Strug, National Basketball Association stars Ernie Grunfeld, Dolph Schayes and Danny Schayes, golfer Bruce Fleisher, tennis pros Brad Gilbert and Dick Savitt, World Cup soccer star Jeff Agoos and Olympic triathlete Joanna Zeiger.

Through a new program known as Yachad - Hebrew for "together" -- every member of the team that represents the U.S. will raise money in support of the projects of Maccabi USA and the Maccabiah. This "shared commitment" program has been implemented to ensure the continued success of the Maccabiah Games.

The 17th Maccabiah Games will be held July 10-21, 2005. Opening Ceremonies on July 11, 2005 in Ramat Gan Stadium.

U.S. participation will be in four categories: open, juniors, youth and masters.

The U.S. plans to participate in the following sports: Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Fencing, Field Hockey, Futsal, Golf, Gymnastics, Half Marathon, Judo, Karate, Rowing, Rugby, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Ten Pin Bowling, Track and Field, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo, and Wrestling.