In September, Israel’s National Baseball team became the first to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan.
Israel qualified by winning the Africa/Europe Qualifying Event, in which they had a record of 4 – 1 and defeated teams from Spain, Netherlands, Italy, and South Africa.
The 2020 Olympic Baseball tournament will be Israel’s first and the first time that baseball is featured at the Summer Olympics since 2008. A total of six teams will compete, including Israel and Japan (who qualified automatically as the host country).
Israel’s National Baseball team rose to prominence in 2017 during an improbable run to a sixth-place finish in the World Baseball Classic, and was the subject of the documentary film Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel.
The baseball team joins a robust roster of athletes representing Israel in Athletics (a collection of running, jumping, throwing and walking events), Cycling, Equestrian, Gymnastics, Sailing, Shooting, Surfing, and Swimming.