Josh Small wins a Gold Medal for courage!
Ten Pin bowler Josh Small has returned to Sydney with a surprise Maccabiah Gold Medal…awarded for courage.
Josh Small with his two awards
The 19-year-old’s father Greg Small perished following the catastrophic collapse of the bridge spanning the Yarkon River as he was making his way with the rest of the Australian contingent to the Opening Ceremony of the 1997 Maccabiah.
Josh did not win a medal in competition but was surprised when he was singled out for two awards at the medals ceremony. He received a Maccabiah Gold Medal on a plaque bearing the words “For the courage to accomplish your father’s dream. You deserve the Gold.”
The plaque was presented by the Israel Bowling Federation.
Small also received the 18th Maccabiah Games Ten-pin Bowling Sportsman Award incscribed as being “in memory of Greg Small.”
Josh told J-Wire: “I learned about the medal on the last day of the tournament. It was a complete surprise. It was for completing what my late father had started. It’s amazing.”
The male bowlers voted Josh the winner of the inaugural Sportsman Award in memory of his father Greg. The female bowlers voted American Meryl Romeu winner of the Spoirtswoman Award to honour the memory of Yetty Bennett who also perished in the 1997 bridge disaster.
Josh told J-Wire: “The awards will perpetuate the memories of my Dad and Yetty Bennett and will be awarded to the best Ten-pin sportsman and sportswoman at all future Maccabiahs.”
The 19-yr-old had spoken about his father before more than 450 people at the memorial service and recited the Yizkor prayer at the Opening Ceremony…an audience of around 50,000.
Sportsman's Award
