Former U.S. Olympian Jillian Schwartz Competes for Israel at 104th Millrose Games

By Nathan Burstein January 25, 2011

Former U.S. Olympian Jillian Schwartz will enter a new phase of her career on Friday, competing for Israel at the Millrose Games at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

Schwartz, who represented the U.S. in the pole vault at the 2004 Athens Olympics, became an Israeli citizen in 2009 and will compete under the country’s flag on Friday. The 31-year-old Illinois native hopes to take the Millrose title over Brazillian star Fabiana Murer, who won the world indoor pole vaulting title last year.

Schwartz, who earned an economics degree while competing for Duke, in 2004 became only the fifth American woman to clear 15 feet, and has placed as high as fourth at the world indoor championships. She won the gold medal at the 2009 Maccabiah Games in Israel.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO