Tel Aviv Port will host the first “Sprint Sea” swimming competition on Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., with live coverage on 5SPORT and free admission for the public. The race will take place inside the harbor basin in natural seawater, in calm, stable conditions meant to resemble a swimming pool.
The event is a joint initiative of the Israel Swimming Association, Tel Aviv Port, and the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality’s sports authority. It will feature 48 of Israel’s fastest male swimmers and 48 of its fastest female swimmers, including national team members and Olympic swimmers.
The format is a knockout sprint over 50 meters for men and women, with rounds of the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. In each round, only the top three advance, and the winners will receive cash prizes.
Among the swimmers taking part are Daria Golovati, Anya Gostmelbsky, Aviv Barzilai, Miron Heryoti, Denis Loktev, Alexey Glibinsky, Eitan Ben Shitrit, Mikhail Leitrovsky, and Martin Kartabi. Olympic swimmer Miron Heryoti called it “a step that will bring a lot of exposure to the sport,” saying it is the first competition of its kind in the world and could be adopted elsewhere. Israel Swimming Association chairman Hagai Eshlagi said the public deserves to see Israeli swimming up close and called the harbor event a global innovation. Tel Aviv-Yafo deputy mayor Lior Shapira said the city aims to position Tel Aviv as an international stage for innovative sports events.
