Occupation
Athlete
Spoken languages
English, Hebrew
Club
Hapoel Rishon LeZion [Israel]
Coach
Ayelet Zussman [personal], ISR, from 2009
Injuries
An injury meant she missed the 2019 European Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. (jpost.com, 26 Jun 2019)
Start sporting career
She began training at age seven. (shalomadventure.com, 01 Jan 2018)
Reason for taking up the sport
"I was a very hyperactive child. I couldn't sit still. I had to move and do sports. My mum saw that and decided to send me to an after-school sports club, a little class that taught rhythmic gymnastics. I really loved that type of sport, competing and wearing the outfits." (Olympic YouTube Channel, 02 Jan 2017)
Milestones
She became the first female Israeli athlete from any sport to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games when she claimed gold in the individual all-around at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Sep 2021; gymnastics.sport, 08 Aug 2021)
Hero / Idol
Russian rhythmic gymnast Margarita Mamun. (gymnastics.sport, 24 Jun 2020)
Most influential person in career
Coaches Ayelet Zussman and Elena Kopylenko. (Olympic YouTube channel, 02 Jan 2017)
Philosophy / Motto
"Your perseverance, not your talent, will determine your success." (linoy.co.il, 26 Mar 2020)
Awards
She was chosen as the flag bearer for Israel at the closing ceremony of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (gymnastics.sport, 08 Aug 2021)
She was named Female Athlete of the Year in three consecutive years from 2017-2019 by the Israeli Olympic Committee. (jpost.com, 06 Jan 2020)
Additional information
General
OCCUPATION
In 2017 she began working in the Israeli military as a secretary. "At 08:00 I go to the army until 11:00. I have to go every day except when I have a competition, then I get a holiday from the army. I really love it and it is very important for Israelis to donate in some way to our country, even if it is through administration and even if it's only for a few hours." (fig-gymnastics.com, 27 Jun 2018)
ONLINE STORE
In 2020 she launched an online store selling products branded with her name. "I have a large audience of fans and admirers in Israel and around the world. Many ask me how and where they can purchase products that carry my name. It's an opportunity to connect these people and many others to me." (israelhayom.co, 18 Feb 2020)
Last update : 2021-09-02