Olympics: Israeli Avishag Semberg wins bronze in taekwondo

President Herzog congratulated Semberg for "making history" and "being an inspiration to many children in Israel," while PM Bennett described her achievement as a "prime example of determination"

By MAARIV ONLINE, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Taekwondo - Women's Flyweight - 49kg - Medal Ceremony - Makuhari Messe Hall A, Chiba, Japan - July 24, 2021. Avishag Samberg of Israel celebrates winning bronze (photo credit: MURAD SEZER/REUTERS)
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Taekwondo - Women's Flyweight - 49kg - Medal Ceremony - Makuhari Messe Hall A, Chiba, Japan - July 24, 2021. Avishag Samberg of Israel celebrates winning bronze
(photo credit: MURAD SEZER/REUTERS)
Israeli Olympian Avishag Semberg won a bronze medal in taekwondo in the Olympic Games in Tokyo on Saturday.
Stunning fans at her first Olympic Games at only 19 years old, Samberg's win marks Israel's first medal in the Tokyo 2020 games.
Semberg competed in the under 49 kg weight class, edging out the Turkish Rokia Yildirim with a score of 27-22 during the battle for the bronze.
Avishag Samberg (ISR) fights Rukiye Yildirim (JPN) in the in the women's -49 xxxx medal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Makuhari Messe Hall A. (JAMES LANG-USA TODAY VIA REUTERS)
Avishag Samberg (ISR) fights Rukiye Yildirim (JPN) in the in the women's -49 xxxx medal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Makuhari Messe Hall A. (JAMES LANG-USA TODAY VIA REUTERS)
 
Semberg said after her winning fight that she "had a difficult day." 
"I lost in the morning, it was a bit difficult," she said, thanking her coach. 
"I have an Olympic medal at 19," she said in disbelief. "I worked so hard all the way. I withstood the pressure, I believed it would happen." 
"I knew the draw was very difficult," she said, adding that she "looked [Yildirim] in the eyes and did it. I said to myself, 'so what if I'm the youngest?' I will give everything I have. Hope this is not my last medal. It feels like a dream to me."
"I think I should have fun," the fresh medalist continued, "I worked hard enough all the way and it's my time to show what I worked so hard on in training and around. Happy I was able to bring it on and withstood the pressure."

Quick to congratulate the medalist was Israel's Culture and Sports Minister, Chili Tropper, who said "Avishag Semberg has made the dream a reality and brings us a first medal with an amazing opening to the Olympics." 
"When I met Avishag before the Olympics I saw a modest, ambitious athlete who is willing to do anything to achieve," Tropper added, concluding his statement with the message "Avishag - we are proud of you."
Foreign Minister and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid also quickly congratulated Semberg quickly, tweeting out "Medal for Avishag! Honor to Israel!!!"
President Isaac Herzog called Samberg on Saturday evening, congratulating her for "making history" and "being an inspiration to many children in Israel," while Prime Minister Naftali Bennett described her achievement as a "prime example of determination and the power of will." 

Also on Saturday, Israeli Olympian Misha Zilberman defeated an Indian athlete ranked 15th in the world in Saturday's Badminton competition. Zilberman, ranked 47th in the world, will play again on Monday.
This is the 32-year-old’s third Olympic Games following appearances in both 2012 and 2016.
Zilberman was the first Israeli badminton representative at the Games in 2012 where he placed 33rd in the singles competition. He improved his standing in the Summer Olympics in 2016, finishing 14th overall. Misha also won gold medals in the Maccabi Games in 2013 and 2017 in both singles and mixed doubles with his mother as his partner. At the European Games in 2019, he competed in singles and earned a bronze medal for Team Israel. 
Israeli gymnast Artem Dolgopyat qualified for the finals of the Men's floor exercise on Saturday from the first place ranking overall after setting an impressive score of 15.20 in the exercise he performed.
The Israeli competed in the first group. Though, later in the day, the other two groups of gymnasts also competed, and at the end of the competition day, Dolgopyat continued to rank first. 
The position will not help Dolgopyat in the final, which is set to be held in a week, and the score he earned during the qualifiers will be reset.

 

Israeli Judoka Shira Rishony, 25, who competed in the women's Judo under-48 kilogram category, advanced to the competition for a bronze medal, where she was defeated by a Ukrainian Judoka, Israeli media reported Saturday.
Rishony, who won a silver medal in Paris at the 2015 Grand Slam event, made it to the quarter finals, where she was bested by the Mongolian Judoka
Expectations from Rishony were not very high as she only qualified for Rio courtesy of one of two additional berths handed to the European Judo Union in her weight category, missing out on an automatic place as one of the top 14 athletes in the rankings.
Israeli artistic gymnast Alexander Shatilov will not advance to Olympic Artistic Gymnastic finals after receiving a score of 13.5 in preliminary rounds Saturday.
Uzbekistan-born Shatilov, 34, has battled to return after injury and illness in order to compete in Tokyo this summer for his fourth Games.   
Shatilov’s greatest accomplishments include reaching the finals at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics as well as a gold medal win at the European Championship in 2013. His 2012 performances in all-around, floor, pommels, and high bar are Israel’s best Olympic finishes in these events. 
Idan Zonshine, Gabrielle Abrams and Tobias Siegal contributed to this report.


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