Lipp looks forward to dual role for Australia

BARRY Lipp will not only be competing for Australia as a masters athlete at his fifth Maccabiah Games in Israel this July, but he will also be Australia’s head of delegation. Having those dual roles at a
Maccabiah Games is a first for Australia.  “It’s a unique situation and I very much thank Maccabi Australia for allowing me the opportunity to do this,” Lipp told The AJN last week.
“My first priority, of course, will be as head of delegation – a role that I take really seriously – which is to lead and inspire our Australian team in its participation at Maccabiah and with our whole
management committee, ensure that every Australian athlete can achieve their best.

“We know that for most athletes who come to these games, it is the highest level that they will ever experience in sport and an amazing opportunity to represent Australia. “But Maccabiah isn’t only about the competition – it’s as much about the greater experience. “So, especially for the junior members of our team, one of the key objectives we have is to create a lifelong bond between the athlete and Israel, within a very supportive  environment.

“That will start from the Australian team’s pre-camp, which allows us to acclimatise and train and also to bond as a team, which I think has enabled Australia to punch well above our weight at the
games. “And for the first time, we’ll  have a special team presentation about Australia’s incredible 50-plus year history of participation at Maccabiah. “I want all our athletes – especially our juniors – to feel and understand that they are part of something which has enormous strength and tradition associated with it, and that they are the next generation carrying the torch.”

Although the 300-athlete Australian team for the 2025 Maccabiah Games is smaller than at the previous games, Lipp said every member is super committed and have really embraced the theme of ‘More than Ever’. “It’s abundantly clear that Israel – as a country and as a society – needs our support right now, so even just our team being there, is a really tangible way to show that.” Lipp, 67, has won eight medals – including five golds – for Australia at the Maccabiah Games as a masters triathlete, including two bronzes in 2022 in the new Maccabi Man event, comprising a half-marathon, a cycling time trial, a sprint triathlon and a 3km open water swim. He has also represented Australia at eight World Triathlon Age Group Championships and last year achieved a lifetime goal of competing in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Taupo, New Zealand. “But for me, nothing can compare with being an athlete at the Maccabiah Games. “Just that sense – that nachas –
of being part of a worldwide Jewish community of sportspeople and the enormous sense of pride, satisfaction and belonging which you get when you enter the stadium for the opening ceremony.
“And I firmly believe that the spirit we’re going to experience at the upcoming games will be even stronger.”

Credit: AJN