Israeli judoka Yarden Gerbi sustained a string of decisive victories in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Thursday to become the first Israeli to ever win gold at a World Championships meet.Gerbi literally caused her opponent to pass out, and all of her victories in this competition were just as one-sided.
The 24-year-old, who has been enjoying a terrific year on the international circuit, won four straight bouts before beating out Clarisse Agbegnenou, the European champion, in the finals.
Gerbi competes in the 63-kilogram category. She emerged victorious from her match with Agbegnenou after pinning her opponent to the mat and executing a powerful choke hold with her legs.
As she stood on the podium, Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikva,” playing in the background, Gerbi was visibly moved.
“I’m so happy that it really ended this way,” she later told Ynet. “I had a great competition… Nothing can be better than this… I cried a little for my parents; they also cried.”
Here she is during Hatikva (at about 2:00):
(h/t Jean, Ian)