Hatikva again: Second Israeli judoka wins gold in Abu Dhabi
Peter Paltchik also won a bronze medal in the 2018 European Judo Championships that was held in Tel Aviv in April.
By CASSANDRA GOMES-HOCHBERGUpdated: OCTOBER 29, 2018 17:17Peter Paltchik from Israel (blue) fights with against Gasimov Elmar (white) from Azerbaijan in the final of the under 100 kg weight category during the Judo Grand Slam 2018 in Abu Dhabi, on October 29, 2018(photo credit: MAHMOUD KHALED / AFP)
Hatikva will be heard again in Abu Dhabi as Israeli judoka Peter Paltchik won gold in the under 100 kg weight category on Monday. Paltchik defeated Azerbaijani judoka Elmar Gasimov in the finals.Paltchik, who was born in Ukraine and moved to Israel when he was 9 months old, began learning judo at age four. The 26-year-old judoka won his first gold medal at the "Grand Prix Cancun" in June 2017.He also won a bronze medal in the 2018 European Judo Championships that was held in Tel Aviv in April.Judoka Sagi Muki won gold on Sunday in the under 81 kg weight category. Israel's national anthem "Hatikva" was played, even though sport event organizers in the Guft have made Israel's participation conditional on it not displaying national symbols.Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev, who was in attendance, openly wept. Following the event on Sunday, Regev made an official visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. “The whole message here is of unity and peace,” she stated.Israel has won five medals at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam 2018.
