1953 Maccabiah Games


Eight hundred ninety athletes representing 21 countries competed in the 1953 4th Maccabiah Games.
Israeli President Itzhak Ben-Zvi opened the Games.
First-time entries included Brazil, Chile and Zimbabwe.

History

The Maccabiah Games were first held in 1932.

Notable medalists

In gymnastics, Abie Grossfeld of the United States won 6 gold medals.
In tennis, Anita Kanter of the US won gold medals in women's doubles with partner Tobia Greenberg of the US, and mixed doubles, and the silver medal in women's singles. Tobia Greenberg also won the silver medal in mixed doubles with partner Pablo Eisenberg. Angela Buxton of Great Britain, who three years later was to win the doubles title at Wimbledon, won the gold medal in women's singles. On the men's side, Grant Golden, who was ranked # 2 in the US that year, captured three gold medals in the men's singles, the men's doubles with partner Pablo Eisenberg, and the mixed doubles with Kanter.
In boxing, Abraham Rosenberg, a concentration camp survivor, won the heavyweight division gold medal. Rozenberg fighting for France lived to that time in Germany, but Germany didn't have a team in that maccabiah, so Rozenberg fought for France.
Ben Helfgott, a concentration camp survivor, won the weightlifting gold medal in the lightweight class for Great Britain for the second Games in a row.
In fencing, a gold medal was won by 3-time Pan American Games gold medalist Allan Kwartler in foil. British Olympian and world champion Allan Jay won three gold medals.
Harry Kane of Britain won the 400 meter with a games record times of 50.5.
It was decided to change the duration after this Maccabiah to once every four years, to gain an Olympic recognition.

Participating communities

The number in parentheses indicates the number of participants that community contributed.
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