Since the footballer Rafat (Jimmy) Turk at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, no Arab-Israeli athlete has been able to break the glass ceiling and participate in the Olympic Games.
The one who is now trying to change the statistics is the swimmer Adam Mara'ana, who will participate in the European Championships that start this morning (Thursday) in Rome, Italy, in a first step towards the goal, to become the third athlete overall from the sector in the Olympics, after weightlifter Edward Maron also did it in 1960.
From her perspective, if and when he does so, he will be the first swimmer.
Maraena, who just celebrated his 19th birthday a month ago, lives and was born in Haifa.
He made his initial introduction to the world of swimming at the age of 3, when his father, Nazi - a Muslim Arab - threw him into the water: "Without knowing how to walk, I would already know how to swim," he testifies.
But his father is not really cut off from the water either, because he manages a beach in Bat Galim, while his Russian mother, Alexandra Nikonov, is a piano teacher who himself also played for eight years.
By the way, his parents are not married, but live together and raise the family to glory.
Adam tried a number of other sports when he was young, including judo, in which he was twice crowned national champion up to the age of 14, and also sailing, but was less successful at it, and to his delight, he also surfs.
"This is what clears my head from the pressure of the competitions," he says.
In general, the house is very sporty.
His 14-year-old sister Ella was an artistic gymnast, but retired not long ago, when she found it difficult to continue the long hours of training and maintain the strict weight.
An interviewer.
Tried many branches, chose swimming, photo: Oren Aharoni
At the age of 10, he already made the business much more professional.
In 2013 he participated in a national competition for the first time, and at the age of 15 he was already added to the adult team and managed to specialize in the backstroke, bring international medals and even break Yaakov Tomarkin's age records.
"I can unequivocally tell you that I will make it to the Olympics," he said decisively from an interview, in an exclusive interview with "Israel Today" and the first of his career.
"I want to be the first Arab-Israeli swimmer in the Olympics."
Why do you think that to date only two athletes from the sector have reached the Olympics?
"I think that this sport - swimming, is not too popular in Ada. They don't pay too much attention to it, there is also a lack of facilities, and parents are also more reluctant to send their children to other sports, it is less accessible to them. There were Arab athletes who proved that it doesn't matter where you come from, Whatever you do, be successful."
Do you think the situation can be fixed?
"We need more for the population to want it. Swimming is an amazing sport and everyone should try, but there is no awareness and they don't know what they are missing. My best friend is Arab and it is accessible to him and he swims, but a lot of the friends - if they do sports, then it Only football."
What do you say about Iyad Shelby, who broke quite a few boundaries in the Paralympic Games in Tokyo?
"It is quite special that an Arab Paralympic athlete has reached these levels. It should inspire others, and he himself should also inspire the community. You could see how he was received after the medal, what a celebration he received and it also corresponds to how I am received after achievements" .
Do you have an interesting combination from home - which side do you connect to more?
"There is no side that I connect with more. A lot of people ask me - what is Mara'an, where does it come from? And I tell them that Mara'an is an Arab name. I am half Russian and half Arab. I am Israeli and come from a mixed city and things like this happen when a Jew marries a Muslim woman and vice versa. The beauty of this city, in this country where there is so much mixing."
An interviewer.
"Arab athletes proved that it doesn't matter where you come from", photo: Oren Aharoni
The destination: the European Championship
Although Maraena contributes quite a bit when he waves the flag around the world, during the last winter championship, he also put on the uniform and enlisted, to become a general soldier in the navy, but at the same time he switched to Wingate and managed to improve results.
"Even though I could get away with it because my father is Arab-Muslim, I didn't choose to use it, I wanted to contribute my part - everyone joins the army, so why shouldn't I join the army? I didn't want to feel different, I came to contribute."
A week ago, Maraena jumped to the national pool in Wingate, at the Israel Championship, where he already set a great result of 54.54 seconds in the qualifiers in the 100-meter backstroke and achieved the criterion for the European Championship for the second time.
Maraena arrives in Rome, where he is expected to participate in the heats for 50, 100 and 200 meters backstroke.
"The result I did in the Israeli championship should definitely be enough for the semi-finals," said the swimmer about his goals in the Italian capital, "I'm in good shape, I was very happy that I reached the criterion and it was very exciting. I even got on the track, and within two months of training in Wingate I offset over a second From my peak. I'm motivated and reach for every patch to explode."
Last year Anastasia Gorbenko won gold, it must give a lot of motivation in the championship.
"Seeing Nastya swim is inspiring. I really had goosebumps watching her win the previous European Championship. I was there and when she beat Katinka Hoso, it's something crazy and I said to myself - that's what I want to do too."
Anastasia Gorbenko.
"Watching her swim is inspiring,"
Do you have a role model?
"I learn a lot from Tomerkin, from Jonathan Kopelev, but mostly from Kobe Bryant. It's because of sticking to the goal, the motivation before and during the competition, the feeling of the sweet victory, learning from failure. All these things testify to the mentality of a fighter."
The European Championship is not like any other competition - are you excited?
"There is excitement, I know how to moderate it and bring it to the positive side. I know how to turn myself on, I don't need caffeine pills. This is the kind of excitement I got from childhood, this madness, I know how to bring it to the right place and not pressure that will make me screw up."
What does it mean to you to be in the team?
"It's exciting. When I received the national team shirt for the first time, I walked around with it everywhere, I pointed out that there were the letters of Israel next to the name. When I go to the end and see the flag, it excites me no matter where I am."
And when you stand on the podium and hear the national anthem, how do you feel?
"When I stood up, tears fell from my eyes. At the multi-nation competition where I was first on the podium, I took the flag and held it tight, I sang the national anthem with pride and said it was the craziest moment in my life and I wanted to do the same in other competitions as well, but I didn't succeed, but I really hope I still got to feel this feeling."
An interviewer.
"Sing the anthem with pride", photo: Oren Aharoni
Where will we see you in 10 years?
"I believe that I will finish my career. It will already be at the age of 29. But I want to see where this sport will take me, even beyond retirement, I believe that I will reach the pool. I have not yet thought about whether I will continue coaching. I have many more steps on the way, such as going to college in the United States ".
Finally, is there anything you would like to add?
"I want everyone to know that I want it more than people think. I want to be like the best. I have the motivation that others don't have. I have a purpose and if my life were to be made into a movie - it would be like 'Rocky'."
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