Gal Zukerman
{{Short description|Israeli kite foiler (born 2003)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Gal Zukerman
גל צוקרמן
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|2003|8|17}}
| birth_place = Sdot Yam, Israel
| known_for = Olympic kite foiling
| education =
| occupation =
| title =
| parents =
| relatives =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
| nationality = Israeli
}}
Gal Zukerman ({{Langx|he|גל צוקרמן}}; born 17 August 2003) is an Israeli kite foiler.{{cite web |title=ZUKERMAN Gal |url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/gal-zukerman_1927771 |website=Paris 2024 Olympics |access-date=21 July 2024}} She won the Youth Sailing World Championships in 2022. Zukerman competed for Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the Women's Formula Kite in Marseille, France, and came in eighth.
Career
Zukerman was born in Kibbutz Sdot Yam, Israel, and grew up near Haifa. Both of her parents were Olympians.[https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/07/23/here-are-the-israelis-competing-in-the-2024-olympics/ "Here Are the Israelis Competing in the 2024 Olympics,"] The Algemeiner. Her father Eli Zuckerman, who competed for Israel in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and came in 13th in the Men's Two Person Dinghy in a model 470 sailboat with Eldad Ronen, is the professional director of the Israel Sailing Association, but does not get involved with his daughter's model.[https://www-ynet-co-il.translate.goog/sport/article/one400879?_x_tr_sl=iw&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc&_x_tr_hist=true "At his request: Eli Zuckerman will not deal with the Kate Foyle model,"] Ynet. Her mother is Shani Kedmi, who represented Israel at both the 1996 Atlanta Olympics (coming in 12th) and the 2000 Sydney Olympics (coming in 4th) in Women's Two Person Dinghy with Anat Fabrikant.[https://www-davar1-co-il.translate.goog/367862/?_x_tr_sl=iw&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc "I float above the water": Gal Zuckerman is Israel's Olympic hope in the Kate Foyle model,"] Davar.
She began sailing at the age of five, and it was not until she was on holiday in Greece that Zukerman first got to try sailing with a kite. She had wanted to do this before, but her mother was concerned for her safety. The kite became important and back in Israel she took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel to practice her new sport.
People advised Zukerman to try a hydrofoil, and eventually she joined a course in which she fell in love with being able to silently move through the water powered by a kite.{{Cite web |title=Gal Zukerman |url=https://ginkites.com/en/gin-tribe/gal-zukerman/ |access-date=18 July 2024 |website=Gin Kiteboarding |language=en-US}} Kite foiling was selected in 2019 as a new sport for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.{{Cite journal |date=2019 |title=World Siling Confirms Formula Kite in Paris 2024 |url=https://www.surfertoday.com/kiteboarding/world-sailing-confirms-formula-kite-in-paris-2024 |journal=Surfer Today}}
In 2021 Zukerman competed at the Youth Sailing World Championships at Mussanah in Oman, and won.{{Cite web |title=World Sailing - Gal Zukerman |url=https://www.sailing.org//sailor/ISRGZ3 |access-date=18 July 2024 |website=World Sailing |language=en}} She beat the Polish kitefoiler Julia Damasiewicz.{{Cite web |title=Sailwave results for 2021 Youth Sailing World Championships at Mussanah, Oman 2021 |url=https://www.sailing.org/uploads/youthworlds/2021yswcKiteboardingFemale.html |access-date=18 July 2024 |website=www.sailing.org}} Zukerman said that because of political differences with Israel, none of the finalist's national anthems were played. Everyone was friendly towards her, but news of her victory was not published for a few days.{{Cite news |date=25 December 2021 |title=Israeli kiteboarder who won gold medal in Oman says organizers hushed up her win |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-kiteboarder-who-won-gold-medal-in-oman-says-organizers-hushed-her-win/ |access-date=18 July 2024 |work=Times of Israel}}
In June 2022 the Dutch kitefoiler Annelous Lammerts won the Hempel World Cup Allianz Regatta at Lelystad in light winds, beating the Spaniard Gisela Pulido who took silver. Zukerman sparred with her fellow Israeli Maya Ashkenazi for the bronze position, and was successful.{{Cite web |title=Hempel World Cup Allianz Regatta 2022 manage2sail |url=https://www.manage2sail.com/en-US/event/AR22#!/results?classId=9c5cc063-e660-4e3f-a639-93b515f9c754 |access-date=16 July 2024 |website=www.manage2sail.com |archive-date=20 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520041446/https://www.manage2sail.com/en-US/event/AR22#!/results?classId=9c5cc063-e660-4e3f-a639-93b515f9c754 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |title=Hempel World Cup Series at the Allianz Regatta - Overall |url=https://www.sail-world.com/news/249894/Hempel-World-Cup-Series-at-Allianz-Regatta-overall |access-date=17 July 2024 |website=www.sail-world.com |archive-date=17 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240717071628/https://www.sail-world.com/news/249894/Hempel-World-Cup-Series-at-Allianz-Regatta-overall |url-status=live}}
=2024 Paris Olympics=
She was one of nearly 90 athletes who were chosen to compete for Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics.{{Cite web |last=Manicad |first=Julius |date=10 July 2024 |title=Lofty goal: Israelis target strong Olympic performance |url=https://tribune.net.ph/2024/07/09/lofty-goal-israelis-target-strong-olympic-performance |access-date=18 July 2024 |website=Daily Tribune |language=en}}
Zukerman competed for Israel at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the Women's Formula Kite in Marseille, France, and came in eighth.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{World Sailing|www=gal-zukerman?ref=ISRGZ3}}
- {{Olympics.com|gal-zukerman}}
- {{The-Sports}}
- {{Instagram}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zukerman, Gal}}
Category:Israeli female sailors (sport)
Category:Olympic sailors for Israel
Category:Sailors at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Formula Kite