Israel Swimming Association Opens Season Dedicated to Fallen Heroes

The Israel Swimming Association's season-opener competition, dedicated to the memory of Gal Rodovsky and Captain Eden Nimri, opened on Friday at the Reut Water Park with swimmers and clubs participating from across the country. Alongside the races, the event centers on honoring two outstanding swimmers who fell during their military service.

Tradition of Remembrance

The Maccabi Reut Water Park club has held the competition annually since 1998 in memory of Gal Rodovsky. Starting in 2025, the competition also bears the name of Eden Nimri, a club swimmer and IDF commander who fell on October 7, 2023. Rodovsky, a Shayetet 13 commando, fell on September 5, 1997, during a Lebanon operation known as the Shayetet disaster. Before his enlistment, he was an outstanding swimmer for Bnei Herzliya and Kiryat Ono, known for his motto: "I never quit."

Legacy of Eden Nimri

Eden Nimri was an elite swimmer who competed internationally and later served as a combat soldier and team commander in the elite Sky Rider unit. On October 7, she and her team were stationed at the Nahal Oz outpost. During the Hamas terrorist attack, she fought valiantly in a shelter, saving the lives of 17 out of 29 female soldiers with her.

"The experiences that push you to the edge are the ones that bring out the best in you," Nimri's legacy reflects.

Sharon and Michael Nimri, Eden's parents, stated: "The memorial at the pool gives Eden's memory a living and enduring expression. Through this season-opening competition, which Eden always looked forward to, we participated proudly as swimming judges."

Sports and Unity

Adi Bichman, CEO of the Olympic Committee of Israel, noted: "There are moments when sport is much more than competition. For me, honoring Gal Rodovsky and Eden Nimri is deeply personal: I remember Gal from the days we swam in Kiryat Ono, and I knew Eden as a young swimmer in the club where I coached here in Reut."