PHILADELPHIA – Haverford College's Jordan Schilit will be representing the United States at the 19th World Maccabiah Games. Hosted in Israel, the 2013 Games will run from July 17-30.
Schilit will compete in the outdoor track events, most likely the 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 meter runs. The Games also host Junior and Master divisions but Schilit will participate in the elite Open division.
The World Maccabiah Games are sometimes called the Jewish Olympics as they are hosted on a four-year cycle and attract the world's best Jewish athletes. The Games have grown to include more than 7,000 athletes from over 50 countries and, according to the Maccabi USA Website, have become "the third-largest sporting event in the world." Schilit will be one of over 600 athletes who will compose the U.S. contingent.
Up to three athletes from a country may represent in the track & field events. Schilit will take to the oval in the three events in which he has experienced the most success. He recently completed his junior year at Haverford and earned his fourth All-American honor, racing to a second-place finish in the 5,000 at the 2012 NCAA D-III championship meet.
During the outdoor season he posted Division III's second-fastest time in the 5,000 (13 minutes, 59.21 seconds), fourth-fastest time in the 1,500 (3:47.21) and sixth-fastest 10,000 (29:46.07). He achieved all-American status in the winter with a seventh-place finish in the 5,000 at the D-III indoor championship, which followed an all-American finish (18th) at the 2011 D-III cross country championship meet. Schilit also earned an all-American honor at the 2010 cross country national championship.