Further Personal Information |
| Occupation |
Athlete |
| Higher education |
Open University: Netanya, ISR |
Sport Specific Information |
| When and where did you begin this sport? |
He began fencing at age nine. |
| Why this sport? |
He discovered that fencing required movements that were similar to those he had developed as a dancer. He also liked the fact that fencing forced him to think under pressure. |
| Club / Team |
Hapoel Kfar Saba: Israel |
| Name of coach |
Doron Levit [national] |
| Handedness |
Left |
General Interest |
| Hobbies |
Dancing. (timesofisrael.com, 17 Apr 2014) |
| Awards and honours |
In 2010 he was named one of the Top Ten U20 Athletes by Ynet in Israel. (ynetnews.com, 04 Jun 2010) |
| Ambitions |
To win a gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games. (timesofisrael.com, 17 Apr 2014) |
| Other information |
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
In 2008 he and his father temporarily won an injunction against the Israel Fencing Association holding competitions on Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest. No new ruling was put in place when the ruling expired, although Freilich has since decided to compete on Saturdays. "I think it is ridiculous that younger athletes should have to deal with that decision. I fence on Saturdays but it’s still in the back of my mind about whether this is the right thing to do." (timesofisrael.com, 17 Apr 2014; israelnationalnews.com, 06 Jan 2012; ynetnews.com, 17 Mar 2009)
AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE
Born in Israel to immigrant parents from Australia, his family returned there for five years when he was a child. Living in Sydney, New South Wales, Freilich first developed an interest in fencing after watching the 2000 Olympic Games. His family moved back to Israel in 2004. (algemeiner.com, 13 Mar 2012) |
