Mizkeret Batya and Konin Win Israeli Artistic Swimming Championship

The 2026 Israeli Artistic Swimming "Arena" Championship concluded on July 15 at the Wingate Institute pool, featuring a close competition for the national senior cup. The senior cup, awarded based on combined results from the summer and previous winter championships, was retained by A.L.H. Mizkeret Batya with 103 points, narrowly ahead of Maccabi Tel Aviv, which finished just two points behind. This marked a significant closing of the gap compared to last year’s 31-point difference. Hapoel Jerusalem secured third place with 88 points.

In the solo routines, Kati Konin from Hapoel Jerusalem delivered a dominant performance, winning gold with 231.2763 points, a substantial lead over the runner-up. Yoav Dagan of A.L.H. Mizkeret Batya, the only male competitor in the category, earned second place with 195.0625 points, ahead of Noya Tzarfati from Maccabi Tel Aviv who scored 190.2950.

Konin also won gold in the duet event alongside Noga Levi, scoring 240.4263 points. The duet from Mizkeret Batya, Aya Mazor and Shia Shar Shalom Nehmad, took second place with 207.3038 points, while Noa Kagan and Noya Tzarfati of Maccabi Tel Aviv finished third with 190.7254 points. Notably, Konin and Mazor are the current duet pair for the Israeli national team.

Mizkeret Batya added two more gold medals: one in the duet event (Mazor and Shar Shalom Nehmad) and another in the group acrobatic routine with 164.9625 points, significantly ahead of Maccabi Tel Aviv (110.1466) and Artswim (104.8472). Maccabi Tel Aviv closed the day with a gold in the group routine (146.0160), followed by Hapoel Jerusalem and Artswim.

Maccabi Tel Aviv is showing growth this season, recently adding three swimmers to the Israeli national team: Emmanuel Tzola, Noa Kagan, and Noya Tzarfati. The upcoming year will reveal whether Maccabi Tel Aviv can maintain consistency and challenge Mizkeret Batya’s dominance at the top.