Israeli swimmer Gal Nevo on Wednesday qualified for the 2012 London games with an impressive showing in the 200 meter individual medley at the FINA World Championships in Shanghai. We can count on an Olympic finish now, Nevo said. Nevo placed 15th in the event with a time of 1:59:67. A time of 2:00:17, or better, is needed to secure an Olympic slot. Nevo's race time, which was a full 31 tenths of a second faster than his time during practice on the morning of the race, also advanced him to the semi-finals at the World Championships. In the semi-finals, Nevo started out fast but weakened toward the race's end, finishing in 11th place. Other Israeli swimmers stood out at the World Championships as well. Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or, who qualified for the London Olympics on Monday in the 200m freestyle, finished 35th in the World Championship semi-finals with a time of 49:91, slower than his own Olympic qualifying time of 48:59 days earlier. Anna Volchkov finished 44th out of 57 in the 50m butterfly with a time of 30:59. Phelps enters the picture American swimmer Michael Phelps won the gold medal in the Shanghai World Championships in the 200m butterfly event. In the days leading up to the finals, Phelps had struggled to retain his grip on first place, but in the end he pulled through, stopping the clock at 1:53:54. Some of the day's tensest races were among the female swimmers. Italys Frederica Pellegrini won the 200m freestyle event, becoming the first woman to sweep the 200m and 400m at consecutive world championships. Pellegrini was positioned seventh at the start of the race, but fought hard for a comeback, pulling ahead of Gretyl Vetzish and stopping the clocks at 1:55.58. Yaakov Toumarkin, another young Israeli hopeful, will have his first attempt to qualify for the 200m backstroke on Thursday. Remembering the massacre The Israeli athletes marked their return from Shanghai with a ceremony at the Knesset building on Wednesday night. MK Limor Livnat (Likud) called the Israeli athletes' participation an opportunity to commemorate the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre in which 11 Israeli athletes were murdered. Livnat said that the day is cause for celebration as well, and ushered in a new Olympic year. "We can't bring up the Olympic games without giving proper mention to the horrific massacre that took place," British Ambassador Matthew Gould, who was also present for the ceremony, said.
There will now be at least two Israeli swimmers competing for gold at the 2012 Olympics.
2nd Israeli swimmer qualifies for 2012 London Olympics
Gal Nevo advances to the finals in the 200 meter individual medley with a time of 1:59:67 • Will join Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or in London games • American swimmer Michael Phelps wins gold in 200 meter butterfly.
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