Israel's Gerbi takes gold at Judo World Championships

Yarden Gerbi became the first Israeli to win a gold medal at the Judo World Championships in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday night.

By ALLON SINAI
YARDEN GERBI 370 (photo credit: Carlos Ferreira/EJU website)
YARDEN GERBI 370
(photo credit: Carlos Ferreira/EJU website)
Yarden Gerbi became the first Israeli to win a gold medal at the Judo World Championships in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday night, recording ippons – judo’s version of a knockout – in all five of her fightes.
The 24-year-old entered the championships as the world No. 1 in the under-63 kilogram competition and proved she truly is the best with a win over Clarisse Agbegnenou in the final in just 43 seconds.
Gerbi began the competition with her quickest ippon of the day, knocking out Karla Catota Quijano of El Salvador in just 45 seconds.
It took almost three minutes for the Israeli to spring an ippon against Italian Valentina Giorgis, but she needed less than two minutes to do so against Tina Trstenjak of Slovenia to advance to the semifinals. Gerbi faced world No. 4 Kane Abe of Japan in the semifinals, but she came up with yet another ippon, this time by forcing her opponent into submission 2:47 minutes into the battle by pinning her to the mat.