Israel's Linoy Ashram takes home the silver from world championship games

19-year-old rhythmic gymnast star Linoy Ashram wins second silver medal, is an Olympic gold in the future?

By HAGAY HACOHEN
Updated: SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 21:36
Israeli Linoy Ashram notched a silver medal in the individual Hoops competition at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships this week as she continued to twirl her way toward the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. (photo credit: OCI/COURTESY)
Israeli Linoy Ashram notched a silver medal in the individual Hoops competition at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships this week as she continued to twirl her way toward the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
(photo credit: OCI/COURTESY)
Israeli rhythmic gymnast Linoy Ashram won the silver medal on Friday at the individual all-around final held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Ashram on Saturday evening and congratulated her. "Mazal Tov", he said, "you make us all 'stretch' with pride." 
The medal followed her becoming the first Israeli to win a silver medal in the games on Tuesday on hoops, and the bronze she won on Thursday on rope.
In a video released on Friday by Israel’s Olympic Committee, the athlete is holding her first silver medal as she wishes a happy New Year to the people of Israel, and thanks her fans who came to Bulgaria to cheer for her.
"“A huge thank you to all those who came. It really helped me a lot",” she said.
Ashram is expected to receive NIS 84,000 from the Israeli Olympic Committee, the Sport and Culture Ministry, and the Commission for Sports Gambling, of which she will share half of with her coaches, Ayelet Zosman and Lena Kopilinko.
Ashram’s medal in the World Championship’s all-around gymnastics section is a crucial stepping stone to the 2020 Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, being held in Tokyo, Japan, from July 24 to August 9, 2020.
In a statement to the press, Ashram and her coaches said that they “are now looking forward to Tokyo.”
Another Israeli gymnast, Nicol Zelikman, finished in 11th place in the same competition.
Russian gymnasts Dina Averina and Akexandra Soldatova won the gold and bronze medals, respectively.