Israel’s 2010 Winter Olympic team

All athletes dream of representing their country in the Olympics, and this year, Israel is sending three competitors to the 2010 Games in Vancouver: a skier and an ice dancing team – a brother and sister.

Sasha and Roman Zaretsky

Israel is not exactly known for being a powerhouse in Olympic winter sports, especially since there is only one regulation ice rink in the entire country, in Metulla on the Lebanese border, and it would be almost impossible to train for skiing there.

Israel started sending athletes to the Winter Olympics in 1994 and has yet to win a medal. Its best finish was in 2002, when ice-dancing pair Galit Chait and Sergei Sakhnovski finished sixth.

This year’s athletes are Sasha and Roman Zaretsky, the ice dance team; and Mikail Renzhin, a downhill skier. In 2000, Renzhin, at the age of 22, immigrated to Israel from Ukraine. He spent the first years in Israel learning Hebrew and did a short stint in the Israeli army. Immediately after immigrating, he contacted the Israeli Ski Federation and was able to continue as a competitive skier.

Mikail Renzhin

Renzhin’s father, a professional ski coach and trainer, was the national coach for the Polish Alpine Team before the break-up of the Soviet Union. Renzhin, who trains in the United States, will compete in Vancouver in the slalom and giant slalom events. At the Torino Games four years ago, he finished the giant slalom in 32nd position.

The Zaretskys are also heading to Vancouver to compete in their second Olympic games. Roman Zaretsky, 27, was born in Minsk, where he learned to skate. His younger sister, Sasha, picked it up in Metulla, where the family moved in 1990. Their mother coached them until she had nothing left to teach them.

“We come from a family of immigrants, and they had a vision for us, a dream.”  Roman Zaretsky said. “I’m thankful for them. After awhile, the coaches started noticing us and also believed we had a future in the sport.”

The Zaretskys moved to the United States in 2001. “We needed more,” Zaretsky said. “More ice, more coaching, more of everything.

“At times we lived with our coaches, teammates and on our own,” he said. “Figure skating is more than just skating – you get to go around the world and travel. I guess our parents were right. It’s a whole lifestyle, not just skating.”

Boris Chait, president and chair of the Israel Ice Skating Federation, said that “their training regiment is very structured and hard. A lot of thought is given to everything they do on and off the ice.”

Zaretsky agreed. “We’ve spent 12 to 13 years travelling around the world for skating. It’s all about dedication, hard work, eating the right foods and going to sleep early.”

He explained what really goes into being an Olympic athlete: “People don’t see the sweat and blood. There is no time for a personal life, no time for friends and family. So, when we perform in front of a crowd, we give everything we have.”

They returned to Israel in 2003 so that Zaretsky could start his army service. “I was not in a combat unit, but I was at the base daily and spent the afternoon’s training.”

He completed his service in 2006 with the rank of a sergeant.

After placing 22nd in the 2006 Olympics, the Zaretskys are continually improving.  They were ninth at the 2008 World Championships and first in the 2009 World University Games. At practices, every detail is taken into account, from the position of their hands to whether their toes are pointed.

The excitement of participating in the Olympic Games is on every competitor’s mind. “We are counting the hours and days till the start of the Olympics,” Zaretsky said enthusiastically. “I’m more excited for this Olympics than the one in Torino. Then, we did not know what to expect. Now we do, and it’s going to be even better.”

They are also excited by the reception the Jewish community in Vancouver is giving them. “The Jewish community in Canada is going to meet us and we can’t wait to get to know them,” Zaretsky said.

Other than meeting the community, competing in the Olympic Games is their only focus.

“We have cancelled everything we had going on to mentally prepare,” he said. “All our energy has been diverted to the Olympics. Nothing exists for us right now except for the competition. Every athlete wants to medal, and we are going to do our best.”

They are not alone in their dream.  “Everybody leaves a legacy,” Boris Chait said of the future of Israel’s skating. “I would like to build up the sport in Israel and for Israel. Sport, in my opinion, has nothing to do with the climate, but has a lot to do with people living in the country. We have over 1.5 million people with skating culture.”

Changes have been occurring over time, and Israel is starting to take notice of its skaters, Zaretsky said. “This time, we had a press conference. While that’s the norm in some places, it was a first for us.”

 The Zaretskys are excited to skate for and represent Israel. “Israel is a special country to perform for. We feel very proud.  Every time you see Israel in the news, it’s negative. It’s not just about personal achievement, it’s about team, country and honour. We hope to bring pride and positive exposure to our country and hope to represent Israel in a good light.”

Masada Siegel can be reached at [email protected]