Israeli Taekwondo Athletes Win Silver and Bronze in Poland World Cup

The Israeli national taekwondo team achieved success at a World Cup event in Poland, with Alexandra Dan securing a silver medal and Ariel Vigdor earning a bronze. Dan, competing in the under-49kg category, advanced to the final after defeating a Polish opponent, China's world championship bronze medalist Misua Lee, and receiving a walkover from the Turkish world champion. In the final, she faced Spain's Adriana Cerezo Iglesias, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist and 2023 World Championship bronze medalist. Dan lost the closely contested match 2-0, settling for silver.

Dan is set to compete next weekend in the Paris Grand Prix, an elite event featuring the top 32 athletes in her weight class. Vigdor, in the under-53kg category, also reached the podium. She defeated opponents from Greece and Italy before losing in the semifinals to Turkey's Sila Irmak Ozuncavdar, the under-21 world championship runner-up, to claim the bronze medal.

Vigdor will continue with the Israeli team to the next World Cup event in Tirana, Albania, which coincides with the Paris Grand Prix. Three other Israeli athletes, Tom Pashkovsky (under-54kg), Liam Cohen (under-54kg), and Tomer Barash (under-58kg), finished in fifth place. Yarden Nesher (under-49kg) and Anya Nisenbovich (under-67kg) placed ninth. Other Israeli participants included Ilia Ruderman (over-87kg), Lipaz Hrgama (over-73kg), and Maya Schwartz (under-53kg). The team was accompanied by coaches Yechiam Sharabi and Roman Rosinov.