Hundreds of runners participated in the First Technion Challenge
Hundreds of lecturers, students and employees from the Technion and other academic institutions participated in the First Technion Challenge race, held today (Wednesday). The five-kilometer race was held on the Technion campus as part of the Academic Sports Association field race league activities. “In this race there are no losers, only winners,” said Technion President Prof. Peretz Lavie a few seconds before he signaled the start of the race. “A few of you will be more victorious than others today, but no one will be a loser.”
“I am proud of the Technion’s students,” said Technion Student Association Chairman Danny Magner. “The Technion is No.1 not only in academics but also in sports.”
The Technion’s hilly terrain made for a particularly challenging route. “It was a difficult route, with a lot of ups and downs, and I am happy that I managed to achieve a time of less than 20 minutes,” said Helen Wolfson, who won first place in the women students division and second place in the overall women’s division. Helen, a master’s degree student in the Faculty of Bio-Medical Engineering, trains the Technion’s staff team in her spare time. “Combining running and studying has always been a challenge for me, and I have to run even on days with the most lectures,” said Helen. She praised the race’s organizers for the race’s high level of organization.
“This was the toughest and most challenging route of all the races in the student’s league,” said Kim Darmon, a fifth-year student in the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning, who came in third overall in the women’s division. “I have been running since age 12, and this race was difficult and challenging, as befits the Technion.”
First place among the senior lecturers was won by Dr. Ari Gero of the Department of Science and Technology Education, who recorded a time of21:58 minutes and came in 50th overall. He has been training for years, ever since he was a Ph.D. student in the Faculty of Physics. His training buddy, Assistant Prof. Netanel Lindner of the Faculty of Physics came in second.
Prof. Alon Hoffman, dean of the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, took third place among the senior lecturers. “I am on the Technion’s running team and participate in the 220-kilometer Mountain-to-Valley Ultra-Man Marathon every year, so today’s race wasn’t particularly difficult for me, despite the hilly route.”
Assistant Prof. Alex Szpilman, also from the Faculty of Chemistry, admits that “there were some tough sections, but we know that whatever is not difficult – is not interesting. After all, we are experienced at coping with scientific challenges, and it’s good that we now also have an athletic challenge like this.” He will also soon be participating in the Mountain-to-Valley race in one of the three teams of chemistry professionals that the Israel Chemical Society is sending to the race.
The winner of the race is Or Shilon of ASA Tel Aviv, who crossed the finish line in just 17:19 minutes. The women students trophy was won by Irena Konovalov, of Wingate College, who recorded a time of 19:34 minutes. Barak Zinger, a student in the Technion’s Faculty of Computer Science, was the fastest Technion student, with a time of 17:52 minutes, and came in fourth overall.
The race was organized jointly by the Technion’s administration, Technion Student Association, the dean of students, the sports department – ASA Technion Academic Sports Association and the Technion Sports Center.
“The race is being held for the first time at the Technion,” said Technion COO Zehava Laniado, “and we hope that it will become a tradition. This is an event for everyone and its goal is to bring the various groups at the Technion closer to one another and promote athletic activities on campus.”
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Photo captions
7899 + 7903 – Runners on the starting line.
7934 – Student Helen Wolfson
7938 – Technion President Prof. Peretz Lavie and Student Association chairman start the race.
7982 + 8013 + 7975 – Runners during the race
7860 – Winners in the women’s division. (Right to left: Helen Wolfson, Irena Konovalov, Kim Darmon)
7882 – Winners in the men’s division. (Right to left: Steven Taylor, Or Shilon, Moshiko Yesharim)
8026 – Winning staff members: (Right to left: Assistant Prof. Netanel Lindner, Dr. Ari Gero, Prof. Alon Hoffman)
5458 – Aerial view of the starting line
7747 – Student Zafrir Ozer, who ran the race with his dog Lego.
Photo Credit: Spokesperson’s Office.