Merrick Teen Wins Big at Maccabi Games

School is about to start up again, and there will be no shortage of 'What I did during summer vacation' essays assigned to students.  Ben Rabinowitz could certainly write a doozie, should he choose.

The Merrick teen competed in the Maccabi Games in Denver this summer.  Well, not so much compete as dominate.  Rabinowitz won 10 medals in track and field, including six gold.

The 400 meter dash. 200 meter hurdles. Sprint medley relay. The triple jump.  Those are just some of the events he won.  He also won the experience of a lifetime.

"It was a very good experience," Rabinowitz, 14, says. "I met a lot of new people, competed against people from different countries...just a great experience overall."

The Maccabi Games brings thousands of Jewish teens from around the world together to compete in athletics.  A family friend who competed in the past referred Ben to his coach via the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan. 

He began training, and headed to the 'Mile High City' in early August for the Games.  He came home with his luggage a lot heavier.  Gold (and silver) will do that.

"[The other athletes] were pretty good, and I was surprised by that but I think I did good too, obviously," he says.

List Robin Rabinowitz on the side of 'surprised' after witnessing her son's performance.

"I was just blown away, I knew he was fast...but I didn't realize how fast compared to [the international athletes]," she says. "I thought maybe he'd walk away with a medal or two if he was lucky, but 10–I just couldn't believe it."

Ben's focus was on soccer as a kid at Merrick Avenue Middle School, and as he developed speed, decided to start his track career in sixth grade.  He heads to Kennedy High School in September, where of course, he plans to run track.  And beyond that, say, the Olympics?

"It would be nice," Ben says.

And how did you spend your summer vacation?