Rhythmic gymnast Linoy Ashram wins gold at European championships

"I'm glad I was able to do my best. It was hard, but every day I reset myself and say - 'tomorrow I will go out and be better,' said Ashram, whose focus now is on next month's Tokyo Olympics.

JUNE 13, 2021 19:26

Linoy Ashram (photo credit: OLYMPIC COMMITTEE OF ISRAEL) — Linoy Ashram

(photo credit: OLYMPIC COMMITTEE OF ISRAEL)

Gymnast Linoy Ashram, one of Israel's top hopes for an Olympic medal at the Tokyo Games which begin next month, won gold on Sunday in the clubs discipline at the European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.

Ashram won with a score of 28.5 points ahead of her Russian and Belarus rivals respectively at the championships which conclude on Sunday in Varna, Bulgaria. She also won silver medals in the ball and hoop disciplines with respective scores of 28.6 and 27.850 and she placed fourth in the ribbon category.

President Reuven Rivlin took to Twitter to congratulate Ashram.

Champion! Congratulations to our dear @LynoyAshram, the first Israeli to win gold for the clubs at the European Gymnastic championships, as well as silvers in hoop and balls. Proud of you, with fingers crossed for @Tokyo2020. #EChVarna2021Photo: Israel Gymnastics Federation pic.twitter.com/VrCUScrSTK
— Reuven Rivlin (@PresidentRuvi) June 13, 2021

"I'm glad I was able to do the best I can. It was hard, but every day I reset myself and said - 'tomorrow I will come and be better'. The focus right now is on the Olympics, and we will continue to work hard," Ashram said after winning.

Israel also won two medals in the group events winning gold in the three hoops and two pairs of clubs ahead of Bulgaria and Italy, and a bronze in the five balls category behind Russia and Bulgaria.

לינוי אשרם אחרי הזכייה: "שמחה שהצלחתי לעשות את הכי טוב שאני יכולה ומסתכלת להמשך. זה היה קשה, אבל כל יום מחדש איפסתי את עצמי ואמרתי – 'מחר אגיע ואהיה טובה יותר'. הפוקוס זה לאולימפיאדה, נמשיך לעבוד קשה"@lianwildau (צילום: איגוד ההתעמלות) pic.twitter.com/w9iVsk0zLf
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) June 13, 2021

Last month, Ashram two gold medals in the gymnastics world cup in Azerbaijan, and in 2019, received one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals at the World Challenge Cup in Belarus.

Ashram began training as a gymnast since the age of seven and in 2017, she became the first Israeli gymnast to win a medal in the all-around competition at the World Championships.

Jerusalem Post Staff and Rossella Tercatin contributed to this report.