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Metulla holds ice skating gala
By Lionel Gaffen
METULLA (December 19) - Michael Shmerkin, who virtually singlehandedly put Israel on the world ice skating map, said yesterday he will not participate in the upcoming European championships if he is not made a member of the Olympic team.
Speaking to The Jerusalem Post at the Israel ice skating championships and gala exhibition at the Canada Center, Shmerkin - who won the men's event yesterday - said he is very upset with the Israel Olympic Committee ruling.
The committee has said that despite qualifying by international standards for February's Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, Shmerkin - as well as the dance couple of Natalia Gudina and Alexei Beletsky - will have to finish in the Top 10 at the European Championships in January in order to make the Israel team.
The committee held a meeting prior to the tournament yesterday, but no change in their decision was announced.
"All the skaters on the ice today are here because of me," Shmerkin said. "Just look at the way the various forms of skating disciplines have been developing over the past years, and now the Israel Olympic Committee doesn't want me to represent Israel in the Olympics, even though I've qualified by all the International Olympic standards.
"If I'm not given permission soon by the Israel Olympic Committee to be a part of the Olympics, then I won't compete in the European Championships, as all of my training is geared toward the Olympics," he said
The Israel championships yesterday were held following the cancellation of October's International Skate Israel Competition when too many foreign participants pulled out due to the security situation.
Ice dancing pair Galit Chait and Sergei Sakhnovski, who only arrived Monday night following their fifth place finish at the Grand Prix Finals in Canada, said "they were still tired and suffering from some jet lag," but "were delighted to be back home, if even for a short while."
Although their skating showed some effects of their journey, they still took first place, followed by Gudina and Beletsky and the up-and-coming junior pair of Alexandra and Roman Zaretsky.
Darya Zuravicky flew in from the US as Israel's sole entry in the women's events and will take part in the European Championships.
Sergei Kotov was second to Shmerkin in the men's competition.
It was announced yesterday that Israel will have a judge at the Winter Olympics for the first time.
Katalin Alpern was selected by the International Olympic Committee to be one of the judges at the ice dance competition.
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