World Maccabiah Games Ended in Israel; U.S. Teams Win 58 Gold Medals

Jewish athletes from the United States, competing against representatives from 25 other countries during the sixth world Maccabiah Games at the Ramat Gan Stadium near here, were counting up their honors today, and found they had come out with the most gold medals during the week-long contests that ended yesterday.

United States teams garnered a total of 58 gold medals–with Israel being second overall winner, with 29 medals. The Americans won 29 silver and 24 bronze medals, Israel got 47 silver and 38 bronze medals.

In yesterday’s final day of competition, U. S. teams, led by Gary Gubner and Dick Savitt, both New Yorkers, won 16 gold medals, Gubner won an unusual triple–winning the shot-put and discuss titles in track and field, then following through by taking first place in the heavyweight weight lifting. Savitt, who had won the Wimbledon tennis championship in 1951, took two tennis titles here.

During the final day, the U.S. also won five gold medals in swimming; four, in addition to Gubners, in weight lifting; two in fencing; and one in shooting. The Americans were simply terrific in swimming, taking 17 victories, while Canada was next in these events with two wins. The United States also won the women’s team foil-fencing by defeating Israel 5-4, in the final.

In gymnastics, Ron Barak, of Los Angeles, acquired a total of eight gold medals, one silver and one bronze. Mike Herman, of Yonkers, N.Y., won his third gold medal in track and field, finished second in the hop, step and jump, and garnered a silver medal as a member of the second place relay team which Britain won. Previously, Herman had won the broad jump, and retained his decathlon title.

Americans also swept six of seven gold medals in swimming and diving. Kathy Flicker,14, of Milburn, N.J., and Dickie Morse, 17, of Nashville, each collected three-meter diving gold medals.