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Israel opened their Olympic medal account with a bronze in the 63-kilogram judo category, not via Sharar Tzuberi, but a 27-year-old from Netanya named Yarden Gerbi.
Her name is synonymous with judo in Israel, with Gerbi a five-time national champion.
Gerbi overcame an early loss to lift bronze, in the process becoming only the second woman from the country to stand on the podium.
She tore past Japan judoka Miku Tashiru, with a comprehensive 11-0 scoreline capping off an emotional day. Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was one of the first to congratulate her.
Gerbi could not qualify for London after being eliminated in the second round of Judo World Championships in 2011, so since then she has competed with a refreshed vigor, which was visible in her winning run at the 2013 World Championship at Rio de Janeiro.
it was an utter shock, despite her pre-Championship run – which included victories in Moscow and Baku – defeating the second-seeded Clarisse Agbegnenou of France.
Gerbi became number one in May 2013, the first ever Israeli woman to achieve that feat, then won silver at the 2014 championships.
Israel’s judo campaign got off to a poor start, after Golan Pollack, one of the six Israelis to win a World Championship medal, was eliminated in the round of 32, after a bye in the first round.
Then world No.3 Sagi Muki, who was participating in his first-ever Olympics, came an agonsing fourth, losing both his semi-final and bronze medal bout.
In such close circumstances, Gerbi shone, making her a hero back home.
This bronze will inspire future Israeli judo talents, including Linda Bolder, who lost her 70-kilogram category quarter-final bout against Spain’s Maria Barnabeu.
You would think Gerbi has one more Olympics in her, and Tokyo 2020 might just be her year to land gold.