Israel set to host U23 judo Euros

Sasson will be out of action for around six months after injuring his knee playing basketball with friends.

Israel’s Tomy Arshanski (in the blue) just missed out on claiming a bronze medal at the World Judo Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia yesterday. (photo credit: REUTERS)
Israel’s Tomy Arshanski (in the blue) just missed out on claiming a bronze medal at the World Judo Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia yesterday.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Israel’s young judokas aim to build on their colleagues’ success at the Rio Olympics when they take part in this weekend’s Under-23 European Championships, which will be held at the Drive-In Arena in Tel Aviv on Friday and Saturday.
Over 300 athletes from 40 different countries will take part in the different competitions, with Israel sending a full team of 18 athletes. The blue-and-white squad includes 2016 European bronze medalist, Timna Nelson Levy. She will be competing in the under-57kg category alongside Adi Grossman.
Among Israel’s other medal candidates are 2016 Zagreb Grand Prix silver medalist, Li Kochman, Baruch Shmailov, a former European junior champion and bronze medalist at the under-23 World Championships and Raz Hershko, the European Cadet (U18) Champion in 2015.
Israel’s Rio medalists, Yarden Gerbi and Ori Sasson, will both attend the championships.
“We are extremely proud to host this outstanding event,” said Israel Judo Association chairman Moshe Ponte. “Our goals don’t end with winning medals at the Olympics.
We intend to invest in the next generation and to strengthen the status of Israeli sport in Europe.”
In other judo news, Sasson will be out of action for around six months after injuring his knee playing basketball with friends.
Sasson will likely miss next April’s European Championships and is also a doubt for the World Championships in August.