Israel competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 28 competitors, 26 men and 2 women, took part in 19 events in 10 sports.
Summary Israel sent to the Olympics a football team, that qualified for the second time, and 11 individual athletes, the same number as the victims in Munich massacre four years earlier. All seven sports represented at the 1972 Olympics were retained for 1976: Athletics, swimming, shooting, fencing, wrestling, weight lifting and sailing. In addition to football, gymnastics also appeared for the second time, after a break of 16 years, and judo made its debut on the Israeli Olympic team.
This was by far the most successful Olympic Games for Israel until then. Esther Roth-Shahamorov, the only team member who was also in Munich, became the first Israeli athlete in any sport who reached an Olympic final, and finished sixth in women's 100m hurdles. Her place is still the best achievement by an Israeli track athlete. In weightlifting, Eduard Weitz came in fifth place, the best achievement of an Israeli at the Olympics in any sport until then, which still remains the best achievement in weightlifting in Israel's Olympic history. Another fine achievement was seventh place (unofficially) for Rami Miron in wrestling. Those three results were better than any previous result of Israeli athlete at the Olympics.
The football team, despite drawing its three preliminary round matches, still advanced to the quarterfinals, where it was eliminated by Brazil. It was a repeat of Israel's achievement in 1968.
Athletics
EventParticipantResultRefWomen's 100 metres hurdlesEsther Roth-Shahamorov6th13.04
Fencing
EventParticipantResultRefWomen's foilNili Drori
Football
During the 1976 Summer Olympics, Israel competed in football along with Iran and North Korea in the AFC. Additionally, Israeli referee Abraham Klein worked the tournament. Israel lost to Brazil in the quarter-finals and was eliminated.
Preliminary round - Group B Standings Team321093+6530303303302147−32302125−32
Matches
Quarterfinals Bracket
Matches
Final ranking
Goal scorers 2 goals Vicky Peretz
1 goal Itzhak Shum Yaron Oz
Squad Head coach: David Schweitzer No.Pos.PlayerDoBAgeCapsClubTournamentgamesTournamentgoalsMinutesplayedSub offSub onCardsyellow/red 1 GK Yitzhak Vissoker Sep 18, 1944 31 ? Hapoel Petah Tikva 4 2 DF Avraham Lev Aug 24, 1948 27 ? Beitar Tel Aviv 2 3 MF Yaron Oz May 10, 1952 24 ? Maccabi Tel Aviv 3 1 4 DF Haim Bar May 14, 1954 22 4 Maccabi Netanya 4 5 MF Moshe Schweitzer Apr 24, 1954 22 ? Maccabi Tel Aviv 4 6 FW Vicky Peretz Feb 11, 1953 23 ? Maccabi Tel Aviv 4 2 7 MF Itzhak Shum Sep 1, 1948 27 ? Hapoel Kfar Saba 4 1 8 DF Eli Leventhal Mar 18, 1953 23 ? Hapoel Haifa 4 9 MF Rifaat Turk Sep 16, 1954 21 ? Hapoel Tel Aviv 2 10 FW Gideon Damti Oct 31, 1951 24 ? Shimshon Tel Aviv 4 11 GK Yosef Sorinov May 17, 1946 30 ? Hapoel Ramat Gan 0 12 DF Meir Nimni Sep 29, 1948 27 ? Maccabi Tel Aviv 4 13 FW Oded Machnes Jun 8, 1956 20 ? Maccabi Netanya 2 14 DF Avi Cohen Nov 14, 1956 19 ? Maccabi Tel Aviv 3 15 MF Yehoshua Gal Jul 11, 1951 25 ? Maccabi Netanya 1 16 FW Ehud Ben Tuvim Aug 12, 1952 23 ? Bnei Yehuda 0 17 DF Alon Ben Dor Mar 18, 1952 24 ? Hapoel Be'er Sheva 4
Gymnastics
EventParticipantResultRefDov Lupi
Judo
Event Participant Result Ref Men's -70 kg Yona Melnik Round of 32
Sailing
EventParticipantResultRefYehuda Maayan & Yoel Sela
Shooting
EventParticipantResultRefMicha Kaufman
Swimming
EventParticipantResultRefDov NismanAdi Prag
Weightlifting
EventParticipantResultRefWeightlifting—Men's FeatherweightEduard Weitz5th
Wrestling
EventParticipantResultRefMen's Lightweight, FreestyleRami Miron7th
References
External links Official Olympic Reports