Sandy Spring swimmer wins gold at Maccabiah Games

Erica Hjelle of Sandy Spring competed in the 20th World Maccabiah Games this month as part of the USA Junior Swim Team, winning the only gold medal for the Junior Team.
She won the 400-meter individual medley, which is 100 meters of each stroke — butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. She also won the silver medal in the 200-meter individual medley and the silver medal as the breaststroker on the 4-by-100-meter medley relay team.
In her other events, she placed fourth in 100-meter breaststroke, fifth in 200-meter breaststroke and sixth in 100-meter butterfly.
Hjelle, a junior at Sherwood High School, was part of an 1,100-person delegation representing the United States in the games, which take place every four years in Israel.