Israeli Judo Coach Reflects on World Championships Success and Areas for Improvement

Head Coach of the Israeli National Judo Teams, Shani Hershko, has summarized the team's performance at the World Championships, where they secured two medals: a silver for Karem Primo and a bronze for Raz Hershko. Additionally, two athletes reached the round of 16, and the team placed fifth overall. Hershko expressed a mixed feeling of satisfaction with the overall results, acknowledging that while they achieved significant success, there is still room for improvement. He noted that many judo powerhouses did not secure any medals, putting Israel's achievements into perspective.

Despite the successes, Hershko stated, "We felt we could have achieved more, but we could have also achieved less." He emphasized the team's high standards, aiming for perfection. Hershko specifically addressed Raz Hershko's bronze medal, explaining that even on a less-than-perfect day, she managed to win a medal, losing only to the top competitor in her category. He expressed satisfaction with her performance, noting that she has now earned two World Championship medals in her career.

Regarding Karem Primo's silver medal, Hershko highlighted her challenging journey, including a severe and recurring injury that impacted her physically and mentally. He praised her resilience and the belief shown in her by the coaching staff and others, even when facing skepticism. Hershko pointed out that Primo, at 21, is one of the youngest Israelis to win a medal at the Judo World Championships and expressed confidence in her future potential, while acknowledging the tough competition in her weight class.