Tel Aviv, November 14 – Irena Szewi?ska, the former Olympic medalist and member of the International Olympic Committee Executive Board, was the guest of honour at the female athletes convention held at Hamei Gahash, which concluded the 2010 activities of the Israeli Olympic female athletes.

Forty athletes participated in the convention, among them the European Champion in Taekwondo Bat El Gatrer, the Judoka Alice Schlesinger who ranked fifth in world championship, and the Judoka Yardan Jerbi who ranked seventh in the same championship, the swimmer Amit Ivri who ranked fifth in the 100 m’ butterfly European championships, wind surfer Lee Kurzitz who ranked sixth in the world championships and the high jumper Daniel Frankel who finished in 12th at the European Championship.

Ms. Szewi?ska told the Israeli athletes about her way to Olympic fame and gave them a clear and motivating message for success by saying: “I always dreamed of achieving good results and winning medals. If you believe, dreams come true.”

The Secretary General of the Olympic Committee of Israel Mr. Efraim Zinger, who opened the convention, said to the female athletes: “Since when Yael Arad won the first Israeli medal in 1992, we hope to see in London 2012 a female athlete on the podium again. We will increase the number of female athletes in the Israeli delegation so that many more female athletes can reach Olympic finals”.

photo: from the right Ephraim Singer, Lee Kurzitz, Irena Szewi?ska, Alice Schlesinger, Daniel Frankel and Bat El Gatrer.