Jowan Qupty
Encyclopedia
Jowan Qupty is an Israeli Arab swimmer. His hometown is Jerusalem, Israel. He swims the breaststroke
.
He and Jewish-Israeli Olympian Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or were high school roommates and best friends. He is training in hopes of qualifying to represent Israel at the 2012 Summer Olympics
in London.
. Swimming in Israel as a youth, his team was a mixture of Jews, Arabs, Muslims, and Christians.
He established records in the 200 m breaststroke
in the Israeli national age group for ages 14, 15, 16, and 17. At age 15, he won a gold medal
in the 200 m breaststroke junior division at the 2005 Maccabiah Games
.
Qupty attended high school at The Bolles School
, in Jacksonville, Florida, where he was 2007 Times-Union All-First Coast Florida Swimmer of the Year, and graduated in 2008. He won the Florida high school swimming state 100 yard breaststroke championship (57.27 seconds) for the Bulldogs. At 17 years of age, Quipty was ranked # 1 in the United States in the 200 yard breaststroke. He missed most of the 2007–08 swim season, as he was sick with mononucleosis
.
Qupty and fellow Israeli swimmer Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or had known each other when they were children, and swum together for the Jerusalem United swim club in Israel. They attended Bolles together, where they were roommates for two years, swim team teammates, and became best friends. Qupty's father, commenting on the friendship and teamwork between his Christian Arab Israeli son and his son's Jewish Israeli roommate/teammate, said: "Just to see them together after the race jumping and hugging each other; they were so happy. I was looking at them through my tears. Coming from our part of the world, you don't see that." The younger Qupty observed that "people were amazed all the time" that he – a Palestinian – and a Jew could coexist, and Shapira Bar-Or said: "It shows how simple the situation is. If I can live with a Palestinian guy, I'm sure in our country we can live with a couple millions of Palestinians and Israelis together."
In July 2009, he won a bronze medal
in 200 m breaststroke (2:24.43), behind Israelis Tom Beeri and Daniel Malnik, in Swimming at the 2009 Maccabiah Games
. In December 2010, while a junior at University of Missouri
, he established the Mizzou Invitational meet record in the 200 m breaststroke(1:59.56).
In November 2011, he was training in hopes of qualifying to represent Israel at the 2012 Summer Olympics
in London.
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
.
He and Jewish-Israeli Olympian Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or were high school roommates and best friends. He is training in hopes of qualifying to represent Israel at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Israel at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Israel is scheduled to compete at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom from July 27 to August 12, 2012.- Athletics:Israeli athletes who have so far achieved qualifying standards:*Achieved A standard:...
in London.
Swimming career
Qupty started swimming at a Jerusalem YMCAYMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
. Swimming in Israel as a youth, his team was a mixture of Jews, Arabs, Muslims, and Christians.
He established records in the 200 m breaststroke
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
in the Israeli national age group for ages 14, 15, 16, and 17. At age 15, he won a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in the 200 m breaststroke junior division at the 2005 Maccabiah Games
2005 Maccabiah Games
The 2005 Maccabiah Games were the 17th incarnation of the 'Jewish Olympics.' They attracted the largest attendance of any Maccabiah Games to date, including more than 900 representatives from the United States, almost 500 from Australia, and more than 2,000 from Israel, bringing the total...
.
Qupty attended high school at The Bolles School
Bolles School
The Bolles School is a private college preparatory day and boarding school in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. It has a lower school , a middle school, and a high school, spread across four campuses around the Jacksonville area, and enrolls about 1,800 students a year. The school was founded in 1933 as...
, in Jacksonville, Florida, where he was 2007 Times-Union All-First Coast Florida Swimmer of the Year, and graduated in 2008. He won the Florida high school swimming state 100 yard breaststroke championship (57.27 seconds) for the Bulldogs. At 17 years of age, Quipty was ranked # 1 in the United States in the 200 yard breaststroke. He missed most of the 2007–08 swim season, as he was sick with mononucleosis
Mononucleosis
Mononucleosis , is a disease most commonly caused by the Epstein-Barr virus . The EBV virus affects the lymphocytes- white blood cells that battle infections by attacking antibodies. Mononucleosis can also be caused by Cytomegalovirus , a herpes virus most commonly found in body fluids...
.
Qupty and fellow Israeli swimmer Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or had known each other when they were children, and swum together for the Jerusalem United swim club in Israel. They attended Bolles together, where they were roommates for two years, swim team teammates, and became best friends. Qupty's father, commenting on the friendship and teamwork between his Christian Arab Israeli son and his son's Jewish Israeli roommate/teammate, said: "Just to see them together after the race jumping and hugging each other; they were so happy. I was looking at them through my tears. Coming from our part of the world, you don't see that." The younger Qupty observed that "people were amazed all the time" that he – a Palestinian – and a Jew could coexist, and Shapira Bar-Or said: "It shows how simple the situation is. If I can live with a Palestinian guy, I'm sure in our country we can live with a couple millions of Palestinians and Israelis together."
In July 2009, he won a bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
in 200 m breaststroke (2:24.43), behind Israelis Tom Beeri and Daniel Malnik, in Swimming at the 2009 Maccabiah Games
Swimming at the 2009 Maccabiah Games
Swimming at the 2009 Maccabiah Games was held over a four day period from July 19 to July 23. All swimming events took place at the Wingate Institute in Netanya.-Medal table:Retrieved from Maccabiah Games 2009 Official Website.-Men's events:...
. In December 2010, while a junior at University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
, he established the Mizzou Invitational meet record in the 200 m breaststroke(1:59.56).
In November 2011, he was training in hopes of qualifying to represent Israel at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Israel at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Israel is scheduled to compete at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom from July 27 to August 12, 2012.- Athletics:Israeli athletes who have so far achieved qualifying standards:*Achieved A standard:...
in London.