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Israel wins its first two medals of Paris Olympics / Photo: © AFP
Israel wins its first two medals of Paris Olympics
Judoka Peter Paltchik won Israel's first medal of the Paris Olympics on Thursday, quickly followed by Inbar Lanir taking silver in the women's competition.
Paltchik, 24, beat Daniel Eich in the repechages of the under-100kg class to collect a bronze medal after a turbulent few weeks.
After the bout he hugged his tearful coach Shay Oren Smadga, whose 25-year-old son Orem, a member of the Israeli Defence Force, was killed in Gaza in June.
"I'm so proud. I'm so happy. I'm so thrilled to bring it home, after all the difficult days I've been through," Paltchik said.
"I think it gave me motivation and spirit because the world's going through hell and my country especially," he added.
Lanir, 24, lost to Italian Alice Bellandi in the under-78kg final.
The Israeli fighters received loud support from a large contingent bearing Star of David flags but they also heard a few boos and scattered whistling.
In the men's final Zelym Kotsoiev of Azerbaijan beat Ilia Sulamanidze of Georgia.
Israel's participation at the Paris Olympics was strongly opposed by the Palestinian delegation, which argued the Israelis should be barred while their offensive in Gaza continues.
Paltchik has been a hot topic on social media after confronting protestors in Japan and being accused of signing Israeli bombs.
"I'm an Olympic athlete, and I always cheer for peace," he said.
His coach Smadga, a 1992 Olympic bronze medallist, said it was essential for him to be in Paris despite his son's death.
"I lost my son a few days ago. In the war," he said. "It was very important for me to be here, to bring the spirit. Because we work every day, for years for that moment.
"I asked my wife and my children if it's OK for them that I will be here and they said yes, you can go.
"We love our country and we want to win! We want to win the war," Smadga said.
- 'Longest five seconds' -
Paltchik had a nervous moment when the official miscounted his yellow cards and disqualified him with six seconds left of his medal bout against Daniel Eich of Switzerland. After a tense delay, the Israeli was given victory.
"I'm so proud. I'm so happy. I'm so thrilled to bring it home, after all the difficult days I've been through," Paltchik said.
"I think it gave me motivation and spirit because the world's going through hell and my country especially," he added.
Paltchik was an Israeli flag bearer in the opening ceremony.
"I was raising my flag so high during the ceremony," he said.
"We have a great, wonderful team and the first medal of the Paris Olympics goes to me. I hope there are many more."
The two medals on Thursday meant more than half of Israel's total Olympic medals have come in judo. The first was a bonze collected by current Israeli Olympic Committee president Yael Arad in Barcelona in 1992.
"The breakthrough of Arad in 1992 made this sport for the Israelis," said Inbar.
Nikoloz Sherazadishvili of Spain won the other men's bronze. Ma Zhenzhao of China and Patricia Sampaio of Portugal won the women's bronzes.
Y.Gomez--SFF
