Israel's judo teams conclude a great week at the Masters in Jerusalem, when today (Thursday) Raz Hershko (up to 78 kg) and Peter Palachik (up to 100 kg) added two more medals to the balance of medals.
In total, Israel finished with four medals, including the gold of Baruch Shamailov and the bronze of Gili Sharr, in the most successful competition ever in this event, which brought the blue-and-whites to the fifth place overall in the medal table.
"Fourth medal in the Masters and this is definitely the sweetest of them all," Palchik said at the end, "First of all this is at home, secondly I had a really good start to the season with good energy after the Olympics, I have three medals.
Towards the end of the season there was a less good period along with a very complex world championship.
I lost personally, in my team I came back to myself in less than two days, so I'm happy that I'm proving to myself again what I'm worth.
I think that even today I was able to express myself in my exercises and abilities."
Palachik and Hershko after winning bronze at the Masters in Jerusalem // Photo: The Judo Association
On what he said to the national team coach Oren Samadja at the end: "I told Oren "Kings never die".
It's fun, fun to feel those things again that I feel in battle.
I really, really enjoy the atmosphere here in Israel, these are the tournaments I like the most in the world.
This crazy crowd that is with me in heart and soul at any given moment, I feel it and I also manage to harness it every time to power and strength, it excites me."
Hershko told about the feelings after the competition: "My goal is always to aim as high as possible and that is the gold.
This time unfortunately and happily, we will settle for bronze.
I just know that I go up to every fight to do my best, sometimes it ends in Ipon and penalties, but as long as I'm the winner, let it end however they want.
I feel great with the support of the crowd and the union, everyone knows how to support and encourage and the spirit behind is really felt, our team is the most amazing in the world and we are not on our side.
We are here to break every possible record and every possible limit."
Hershko celebrates another medal, photo: Oren Aharoni
On the feelings of competing in front of the home crowd, she added: "It's a pleasure to compete at home. It's different because of the support and I feel that when I win then everyone wins. In the last five years there have been many competitions in Israel and I haven't been so successful, but I feel that this time we'll break some barrier with the medal last year, and now With another one, the feeling is just crazy."
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