'Strength of next generation': Israeli youth bridge teams claim three European silver medals

Israeli youth bridge teams have delivered a remarkable performance at the European Championship held in Riga, Latvia, clinching three silver medals and showcasing the burgeoning talent within the country's junior bridge community.

The national teams competing in the Under-26, Under-21, and Under-16 categories all reached the finals. The Under-26 team, in particular, led the standings for a significant portion of the competition and remained a strong contender for the gold medal until the very end. The Under-21 team faced a dramatic and close final against Poland, ultimately securing second place after a thrilling photo finish.

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It is an incredible success. We sent eight teams across nine categories in the senior and youth competitions and returned with a full haul of medals: bronze medals for the Open and Mixed Pairs senior teams, and silver medals for the Under-16, Under-21 and Under-26 teams.

Adding to the success, the Under-16 team also completed an outstanding championship, climbing into second place on the final day to secure their silver medal. These achievements follow recent bronze medals won by Israel's senior Open and Mixed Pairs teams at their respective European Championships.

Danny Loonstein, chairman of the Israel Bridge Federation and head of the delegation, hailed the results as an "incredible success." He expressed pride in all members of the delegation and set a clear goal for the upcoming World Championship: "taking another step forward." Arik Kaplan, president and CEO of Ayelet, the umbrella organization for Israel’s non-Olympic sports, congratulated the teams, stating that having three youth teams on the podium is "impressive evidence of the strength of the next generation of Israeli sports."

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Having three Israeli youth teams on the podium at the same championship is impressive evidence of the strength of the next generation of Israeli sports. Beyond the medals, the young players represented Israel with pride, determination and excellence throughout the competition.