{"id":400616,"date":"2026-04-19T19:57:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T19:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/400616\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T19:57:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T19:57:10","slug":"israel-wins-3-medals-in-european-judo-championships-including-gold-for-raz-hershko","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/400616\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel wins 3 medals in European Judo Championships, including gold for Raz Hershko"},"content":{"rendered":"

Israeli athletes clinched three medals at the European Judo Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, over the weekend, capping a successful tournament in one of the Jewish state\u2019s strongest sports.<\/p>\n

Raz Hershko won a gold medal in the women\u2019s over-78kg category on the last day of the championships on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Hershko beat France\u2019s Lea Fontaine in just 52 seconds to clinch the gold for the second time in her career, after earlier overcoming Croatia\u2019s Helena Vukovic in the semifinal.<\/p>\n

In doing so, Hershko became only the third Israeli to win more than one gold medal at the continental championship, after Arik Zeevi and Sagi Muki.<\/p>\n

This is Hershko\u2019s fifth consecutive medal at the European Championships. In 2022, 2023, and 2025, she won a silver medal, and in 2024, she won her first gold medal.<\/p>\n

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It was her first time competing since the European Championships in April last year, after being forced to miss the World Championships due to Israel\u2019s war with Iran in June 2025.<\/p>\n

In 2024, Hershko won the silver medal in the women\u2019s over-78kg weight class at the Paris Olympics.<\/p>\n

\t\"\"
\n\t\tIsrael\u2019s Raz Hershko celebrates her win against France\u2019s Lea Fontaine in the women\u2019s over-78kg category gold medal bout at the Judo European Senior Championships 2026 in Tbilisi on April 19, 2026. (Giorgi ARJEVANIDZE \/ AFP)<\/p>\n

Earlier in the European Judo Championships, Timna Nelson-Levy won a silver medal in the women\u2019s under-57kg category, losing the final match to Georgia\u2019s Eteri Liparteliani.<\/p>\n

At 31, she was the oldest Israeli female judoka to win a medal at the European Championships.<\/p>\n

On the men\u2019s team, 18-year-old Izhak Ashpiz won the bronze medal in the under-60kg category.<\/p>\n

There were 16 athletes in Israel\u2019s national judo team at the competition in Georgia.<\/p>\n

Inbar Lanir (under 78kg) finished without a medal on Sunday after injuring her shoulder in her quarterfinal bout against a French opponent. Lanir withdrew from the competition.<\/p>\n


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