Israel Taekwondo Teams Secure Five Silver Medals at World Cup in Switzerland
The senior Israeli Taekwondo team achieved a significant success at the World Cup series event in Switzerland, securing a total of five silver medals across both Olympic and Paralympic categories. The medalists included Yarden Nshar, Nimrod Kravitzky, Tom Pashkovsky, Tomer Barash, and Paralympic fighter Omer Bar-El.
Paralympic athlete Omer Bar-El, competing in the over 80 kg category, earned a silver medal in his first international final. He defeated an opponent from France before losing to a Turkish competitor in the final match. This achievement marks a major milestone for Bar-El, who lost an arm during the "Swords of Iron" war and only joined the Paralympic Taekwondo circuit in early 2026 after an extensive rehabilitation process. His silver medal represents his first international win and his first international medal.
In the Olympic categories, Yarden Nshar (under 49 kg) won silver, defeating fellow Israeli Sophie Morutza in the quarterfinals and a Serbian opponent in the semifinals before falling to a U.S. competitor in the final. Nimrod Kravitzky (under 74 kg) also secured silver, with victories over opponents from Germany, Spain, and Greece in earlier rounds, ultimately losing to an Azerbaijani fighter in the final. Tom Pashkovsky (under 54 kg) claimed silver after defeating opponents from Portugal and France, but was defeated by another French athlete in the final. Tomer Barash (under 58 kg) earned his silver medal by beating competitors from France and Mexico, advancing to the final when his Tunisian opponent withdrew, before losing to a French opponent.
The World Cup event in Switzerland served as an Olympic and Paralympic qualifying competition.
