‘What the flag I wear represents’

Israeli judoka Raz Hershko, one of the country’s top athletes, missed a major opportunity in 2025 when the 12-day war between Israel and Iran closed Israeli airspace, preventing her from traveling to Budapest. Earlier this year, she withdrew from the Tashkent Grand Slam after the Shin Bet ordered the Israeli team to leave Uzbekistan.

But nothing could keep Hershko, 28, off the podium last weekend, when she won a bronze medal at the World Judo Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

She burst into tears after winning the bout that secured her medal. “Representing Israel has always been something that moves me, but at this moment, it carries so much more meaning,” she said. “At the end of the day, I step onto the mat alone, but I feel like I have an entire country behind me.”

She dedicated her victory to the memory of Yonatan Gutin, an Israeli soldier killed on October 7, 2023, as well as his family and the people of Israel. According to his official memorial page, Gutin, a 20-year-old Israel Defense Forces officer, was killed fighting to rescue civilians during the battle for Kibbutz Be’eri. Judo was a central part of his life. He had trained in the sport for about 14 years and was a member of Israel’s cadet national team. Even during his military service, he occasionally returned to his judo club to coach.

Despite the achievement, Hershko made clear that bronze was not the result she had hoped for. “I’m pretty disappointed that the day ended with a bronze medal, because I was aiming for gold,” she said. “But now it’s time to look ahead to the next goals.”

She said that “everything has felt different since October 7” and that she can’t “disconnect” herself from the Israeli reality.

“Before that, I would go into competitions feeling immense pride in representing my country,” she said. “Today, that pride is even stronger. I’m much more aware of what the flag I wear represents, and of the fact that I stand for something far bigger than myself.”

Jewish Telegraphic Agency