How badminton professional Maxim Grinblat experiences the war

Gifhorn. Last weekend <a href="https://www.archysport.com/2022/12/italy-israel-2-3-azzurri-last-netherlands-ahead-oa-sport/" title="Italy-Israel 2-3. Azzurri last, Netherlands ahead – OA Sport”>Maxim Grinblat played for SG Gifhorn/Nienburg for the first time. Before the start of the season, the 23-year-old switched to the badminton regional league team. “It was my wish to move to Germany in the summer because badminton tournaments and league games no longer take place under normal circumstances in my home country,” says Grinblat. The SG’s new addition comes from Israel – the country in the Middle East has been at war since October 7th last year.

At that time, terrorists from the Palestinian Hamas attacked his homeland, murdered more than 1,200 people and abducted over 200 people to the Gaza Strip, where around 100 people are currently being held hostage. “The early days were bad, rockets were constantly flying at us, we had to go to our shelter several times a day,” remembers Grinblat. Fortunately, nothing happened to the badminton professional; unlike many Israelis, he did not lose any close relatives or friends. He lives in Tel-Aviv, where it is currently comparatively quiet, but here too he receives dozens of warnings every day from the Israeli app “Red Alert” and has to go to the shelter several times a day.

Two of his friends are in the hospital

“Two of my closest friends were injured in the military operation in Gaza. At first I didn’t hear much about them, now I’m visiting them in hospitals in Israel,” remembers the 23-year-old. At his first international tournaments after the attack on Israel, he was accompanied by personal security guards to ensure his safety.

Maxim Grinblat (front, kneeling) with the Israeli national badminton team.

Source: private

Like all his compatriots, he himself had to complete three years of military service. However, because he was an athlete, he was used in administration and did not have to go on dangerous missions. Now he wants to concentrate on sport as best he can given what is happening in his home country. “A lot of tournaments and league games were canceled here in Israel, so I was looking for a competitive league.” He has now found it in Germany.

The start with the SG was promising

Things also went well with his new badminton club right from the start. With SG Gifhorn/Nienburg he got a point against the leaders SG VfB/SC Peine in a 4:4 draw, and against SG Lengede/Vechelde in a 6:2 draw it was even a clear victory in the end. Grinblat won his doubles against Peine with Callum Smith as well as his singles and on Sunday the mixed doubles with Leonie Wronna. “It was a good start, I won all the games in two sets, that was good,” he said. It is the first stop outside Israel for the 23-year-old; in his homeland he was active for BC Hatzor. The biggest successes of his career are a mixed title at a tournament in Kazakhstan and currently second place in Israel behind top 50 player Misha Zilberman. He also feels at home in Germany outside of sport. “I immediately felt safe and welcome here.”

His new coach Hans-Werner Niesner is also happy about his new addition. “I am very happy with his start in our team. He harmonized well with Callum in the doubles,” explained the SG coach. In the summer, Grinblat wrote to a few teams from the 2nd Bundesliga and the Regionalliga and expressed his interest in changing clubs. “Hans-Werner answered immediately, then we had a conversation and it immediately felt good. The impression has now been confirmed personally,” says the Israeli. The 23-year-old recently met his doubles partner Smith at the Uganda International Open.

Things are also going well professionally at Grinblat

The Israeli and the Scot also shared a hotel room between the two games last weekend. Grinblat flew to Berlin, from there we took the bus to Gifhorn. In the capital, where around 20,000 Israelis live, the badminton professional visited a good friend he knew from school. “I hope that next time I can stay here a little longer and maybe take part in a training session in Gifhorn,” emphasizes the Israeli. He completed his bachelor’s degree in computer science at Bar-Ilan University four months ago and now wants to work as a website developer alongside his professional career. If things continue to go well at SG, he can imagine staying in Germany longer.

AZ/WAZ