After the judo team finished the World Championship in Tashkent with the bronze medal in the team competition, everyone is already looking ahead.
But along the way, we try to draw conclusions from what didn't work in the individual competition in order to correct it.
The one who bears all the responsibility is the coach of the men's team, Oren Samadja, who in a special interview with Israel Hayom tried to explain what happened in the championship: "In the individual competition, which is the main competition we are aiming for, good and bad things happened," Samadja admitted.
"2 athletes came to fight for a medal. Of course Yam Volchek, taking him at the age of 19 is a risk, certainly after he received a death lottery."
"The worst part is that Guy Mocki, Tal Flicker and Peter Palchik did not show up, did not manage to enter the fight. We saw many world champions and Olympic champions who did not make it. When I examine the process and the competition, the goal is that we did not get what we wanted to see."
Muki and Samadja.
Something didn't work, photo: Oren Aharoni
What do you think caused it?
"We talk about everything and one of the questions I ask them - 'Are you beyond your peak?', 'Do you have the drive and motivation?' There are some who train very hard and there are some who only work hard."
"I know you also need luck, a given day is good. But when you see Sagi go up to the individual fight like this, then you think that maybe he is really beyond his peak, but two days after that he meets the same Korean opponent and defeats him. This is something that shakes them and confuses me as well. I I will never defend a professional athlete. We expected them to do more, but I look at the World Championships from above - four young athletes progressing."
And yet Sagi hasn't been able to stand on the podium for a year, do you have an explanation?
"We will sit down and try to understand from him what he says, how he feels. I imagine that there is some kind of situation here, probably in the psychological ability to reach this day. This is also his first world championship since he won in 2019. He has been through a lot and it is certainly not a mistake from the beginning of the season. I know that in every training camp they progress and go to the edge."
What do you say about all those who underestimate the medal in the team competition?
"Imagine that the Israeli national team comes to the World Cup and finishes in fifth place, imagine that the Israeli national team in any other sport finishes fifth and also wins a medal, whoever disrespects them - shame on them. You see the meaning of being one of the powers in the industry. It doesn't always succeed, neither for the athletes nor for us, so when you come back with A bronze medal from the team competition, I'm proud of that."
Smedja and Harshko with the team team.
Proud of the achievement, photo: Oren Aharoni
It seems that the judokas come to the team competition much more relaxed
"Maybe. I have my conversations with the athletes, not in all the world championships that I went through as an athlete we reached 7 fights for a medal, when 2 were in semi-finals, I don't remember such a situation. I'm also very happy that we have a very strong women's team, Shani Hershko is doing an amazing job. The team competition shows the depth we have, a lot of strength, and this is the recipe for success."
Does Lee Kochman have anything else to give to the team?
"We really want Kochman in the team, I guess if things go the way we want, we'll see him at the Masters in Jerusalem. The bar is always rising and we demand that they sacrifice much more. Most of them are married, for some it's the end of their careers. We just want to train them to the limit."
What will it look like in Paris?
"What do you think it will be? I can only hope that they will give their heart and soul. There are so many achievements for these athletes, that I have been blessed to work with, some of them from the age of 4, I want their final chord to be on the podium in Paris, to be a gold medal for judo. I Most want it in the world and it's realistic. We always talk about medals and I never lower views. It's true we're not the Japanese or French team, but it's possible."
Samdaga and the gang in a conversation in Tashkent, photo: Oren Aharoni
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