Judo – Men’s under-60kg; 20-year-old becomes the 38th and final athlete to be added to the Israeli delegation.
By ALLON SINAITOMMY ARSHANSKY(photo credit: Israel Judo Associatioj)
Tommy Arshansky was already told that he would not be going to London after the Judo Association’s request to include him in the delegation as one of three up-and-coming athletes was rejected by the Olympic Committee of Israel.However, Arshansky and the association never gave up and exhausted every option, a decision which paid off just three weeks ahead of the opening ceremony when the 20-year-old became the 38th and final athlete to be added to the Israeli delegation.The OCI’s high court accepted his appeal (hence his appearance at the end of the Post’s alphabetized list) and he joined swimmer Imri Ganiel and fellowjudoka Golan Pollack as the third up-and-coming athlete.The court explained that the fact the Israel Judo Association was still in administration until last year denied Arshansky the chance to compete in several major events abroad and he was unable to amass the ranking points he required to achieve the OCI’s criteria of being ranked among the world’s top 20.Arshansky’s tremendous talent was on full display when he won the European Cadet (under-17) Championships in 2007, but it took him time to get accustomed to the under-60kg senior weight class, which required him to put on 10kg.Click for full JPost coverageHe finally made his breakthrough this year, finishing on the podium in four World Cup events, including in two in June.After already having to come to terms with missing out on the Olympics, Arshansky goes to London with absolutely no pressure.His true test should come in the 2016 and 2020 Games.
