President Shimon Peres will lead the Israeli athletic delegation to the 2012 summer Olympic games in London, according to an announcement made Tuesday by Israel's Olympic Committee. The news was made public during a special tour by the president of the country's Olympic Experience Museum. The tour was hosted by Israel's Olympic Committee. Peres met with committee heads as well as with top Israeli sportspeople, among them windsurfers Lee Korzits and Shahar Zubari, judoka Arik Zeevi and former track and field athlete and Israel Prize recipient Esther Roth-Shahamorov. Peres also attended a special training session of the Olympic rhythmic gymnastic team. Israeli Olympic Committee head Zvika Vershaviak thanked Peres for accepting the committee's invitation to lead the athletic delegation during the coming summer games. "Your presence as a head of state alongside kings and presidents from around the world provides the Israeli athletes with strong support and the sense that they are representing both a country and a nation," Vershaviak said. Arik Zeevi, who won a bronze medal in judo at the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece and who competed at the 2008 games in China, told Peres: "When I saw you waving at the Israeli delegation from the honor gallery during the opening ceremony's parade of nations in Athens and Beijing, my heart was filled with pride. We consider you a partner in promoting competitive sport in Israel." Winsurfer Lee Korzits, who recently won a gold medal at the womens windsurfing finals in Australia, presented Peres with an official 2012 Olympic delegation shirt, as well as an Israel Olympic Committee gold metal. "It is a great honor for me to represent Israel and advance Israeli sports at the Olympic Games in London," Peres said. At the end of the museum tour, he said, "It is my hope that the Israeli athletes will return home from the Olympic Games in London with an excess baggage of Olympic medals."
